GREAT PHYSICIAN'S WARNING: The use of this
lesson quarterly may be hazardous to your continu-
ing current lifestyle. Prolonged use may even lead
to death to ielf. DO NOT USE IT
.UNLESS YOU ARE
WILLING TO ACCEPT THE HAZARDS
FREEDOM
That's what the
Easy English
edition of the adult Sabbath School
quarterly is all about.
Written in concise, easy-to-read language, the
Easy English
edition
is especially helpful to persons who are deaf or whose first language is
not English. Even the theology is written in an easy-to-understand
manner.
Printed in larger-than-normal type, the
Easy English
version makes
studying the lesson even more convenient.
The
Easy English
edition isn't for everybody, but it just could be what
you've been waiting for.
So exercise your freedom of choice—ask for the
Easy English
edi-
tion of the adult Sabbath School quarterly at your local Adventist Book
Center.
Contents
1.
God Tells Us About His Love
2.
God Tells Us About the Godhead
3.
God Tells Us What He Is Like
4.
God Tells Us About His Son
5.
God Tells Us About His Spirit
6.
God Tells Us How He Created
7.
God Tells Us About Ourselves
8.
God Gives Us a World View
9.
God Tells Us Why Christ Died
10.
God Tells Us How to Be Saved
11.
God Tells Us About His Church
12.
God Introduces the Three
Angels' Messages
13.
God Urges Us to Unite
The Adult Sabbath School Lessons are prepared by the Department of Church Ministries
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of the lessons is
under the general direction of a worldwide Sabbath School Lesson Committee, the mem-
bers of which serve as consulting editors. The published lesson quarterly reflects the input
of the committee and thus does not solely or necessarily represent the intent of the authors.
Editorial Offices: 6840 Eastern Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20012
Lesson Authors: Erwin R. Gane
J. Robert Spangler
Leo R. Van Dotson
Editors: Erwin R. Gane
Leo R. Van Dolson
Assistant Editor: Charlotte Ishkanian
Pacific Press Editor: Lincoln E. Steed
Marketing: Bob Kyte
Sales Office: Shirley Sayers
Cover Design: Paul B. Ricchiuti
Cover Photo: Duane Tank
Scripture references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this quarterly are as follows:
NASB. From
The New American Standard Bible,
copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1968, 1975. Used by
permission.
NIV. From
The New International Version,
copyright © 1978 by New York International Bible Society. Used by
permission.
RSV. From the
Revised Standard Version,
copyright 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
RV. From the
Revised Version,
copyright 1898 by Oxford University Press, American Branch.
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (standard edition). (USPS 702-480). Published quarterly by
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1350 North Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687, U.S.A.
One year subscription in U.S.A., $4.25; single copy, $1.50. One year subscription to
countries outside U.S.A., $5.25; single copy, $1.80. All prices at U.S.A. exchange. Sec-
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Editions in Braille available. See p. 97. Easy English Edition Available.
Copyright © 1988 by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (USPS 702-480)/No. 373 / July-September 1988
Meet the Writers
Of
This Quarter's
Lessons
Dr. Erwin R. Gane is the new editor of the Adult
Sabbath School Lessons. While he has pastored
several churches on two continents, most of his ser-
vice has been in the field of education. He taught at
Avondale College in his native Australia, and at
Union and Pacific Union Colleges in the United
States. He received his M.A., M.Div., and M.Th. de-
grees from Andrews University, and a Ph.D degree
from the University of Nebraska. Dr. Gane and his
wife, Winsome, have two grown sons.
Elder J. Robert Spangler is associate secretary of
the Ministerial Department at the General Confer-
ence and is editor of
Ministry
Magazine. He received
his B.A. from Columbia Union College and his M.A.
from Andrews University. He served as pastor and
conference evangelist for eleven years before mov-
ing to the Far East Division, where he worked as
ministerial secretary for eight years. Elder Spangler
has written three books,
First Things First, Marked!
and
Healthy, Happy, Holy,
which he co-authored
with Leo R. Van Dotson. The Spanglers have two
grown daughters.
Leo R. Van Dotson has recently retired as editor
of the Adult Sabbath School Lessons. His career
has included pastoral work in the U.S. and Japan,
teaching at Pacific Union College and the Loma
Linda University School of Health. He holds a Ph.D.
in educational administration from Claremont Col-
lege. Dr. Van Dotson has served as an editor on
Ministry, Life and Health,
and the
Adventist Review
magazines. He has authored or co-authored 18
books and has written several adult teachers' aids.
He and his wife, Bobbie Jane, have two grown sons.
Acknowledgment: Others
whose contributions have been used in prepar-
ing these lessons are Dr. Norman Gulley, Kenneth McFarland, and the
writers of the articles that appeared in the special doctrinal issue of the
Adventist Review
published in 1981.
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Christ the Center of Truth
These lessons begin two quarters of study dealing with the
twenty-seven fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist
church.
During these two quarters, it will be of utmost importance to
understand that every teaching of the church centers in Jesus
Christ. "Christ, His character and work, is the center and cir-
cumference of all truth, He is the chain upon which the jewels
of doctrine are linked. In Him is found the complete system of
truth."—Ellen G. White, Review and
Herald,
August 15, 1893.
As each doctrine is studied we need to ask ourselves how this
doctrine centers in Christ. Another question that should be ad-
dressed is, "How does belief in this doctrine affect me today?"
These two questions will require meditation, prayer, and dis-
cussion if we are to receive a rich reward from our study.
g
-
YDDIRY
God Teills Us
About His Love
MEMORY TEXT: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in-
struction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Holy Scriptures.
The Holy Scriptures,
Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine
inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the
knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible
revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experi-
ence, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of
God's acts in history."—Fundamental Belief No. 1.
OUTLINE:
I.
God's Two Words.
II.
Evidences of Inspiration.
III.
How to Understand the Bible.
IV.
The Importance of Bible Study.
V.
The Word Reveals the Word.
INTRODUCTION:
The God of the Bible is a God who reveals Himself to
us. He does not leave us alone in our state of lostness, alienated from Him
because of sin. He comes to us, showing us His character, revealing His
will, offering us the salvation He has provided.
God did not send the Bible to us by overnight express from heaven. He
did not hire a staff of temporary secretaries to take word-for-word dictation.
Instead, He inspired the Bible writers with His thoughts and messages by
such means as visions, dreams, angelic conversations, and special revela-
tions to the mind of the prophet. The prophets then wrote these revelations in
their own words. Thus, while many people wrote the Bible, it had only one
Author.
The central personality of the written Word is the Living Word—Jesus
Christ. And the central theme of the Bible is God's love as demonstrated in
the life, death, and teachings of Jesus.
Being a large book, the Bible deals with many subjects. It contains his-
tory, prophecy, doctrine, biography, poetry, and counsel. But, for God's
true followers, the chief motive for reading the Bible is not so much to learn
its facts as to get acquainted with its Author. The ultimate purpose of Scrip-
ture is to lead us into a personal relationship with God.
The old adage "we are what we eat" can apply to the spiritual dimensions
6
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v
B
Utq
l
SUN
of life as well as to the physical. If because our spiritual diet is impoverished
we try to feed our souls on the husks of the commonplace and uninspired,
our minds and souls will become dwarfed.
Do you not know someone who in the last few years has demonstrated
striking Christian growth? If you check the reason for it, you will discover
that deep, daily, and prayerful Bible study underlies all such spectacular
Christian development.
L GOD'S TWO WORDS.
What claim do Bible writers make concerning the source of their
messages? What does the Bible do for those who accept its inspiration?
1 Thess. 2:13.
The Bible does not attempt to prove that it is the Word of God. It claims
divine authorship. The proof of this claim lies in what it is able to do for
those who accept its claim.
What other "Word" is pointed to as the revelation of God? John 1:1,
2, 14.
Seventh-day Adventists believe in the two-sided, divine-human nature of
revelation. "The Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language
of men, presents a union of the divine and the human. Such a union existed
in the nature of Christ, who was the Son of God and the Son of man. Thus it
is true of the Bible, as it was of Christ, that 'the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us.' John 1:14.
"—The Great Controversy,
p. vi.
ILLUMINATION:
"It seems in harmony with the revealed truth of God to
suggest that a similarity in principle prevails between the manner of the birth
of the incarnate Word of God and the method of the composition of the
written Word of God. Scripture was, so to speak, 'conceived or inspired of
the Holy Ghost, and thought and uttered by human prophets.' Scripture is
obviously the work of human writers; and yet it is still more the product and
result of a special and supernormal activity of the Spirit."—Alan N. Stibbs,
Revelation and the Bible,
ed. C. E H. Henry (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker
Book House, 1949), p. 111.
How does 2 Peter 1:19-21 make it clear that the Bible has a divine
Author even though it was written by selected prophets?
COMPLETE:
The Bible is a collection of many ancient books, its first
books having been written about 1500 B.C. and its last book about A.D.
100. There are
books in the first section, which is known as the Old
Testament, and
books in the New Testament, making a total of
books in this collection. (Answers for these questions will be found by
studying the table of contents of your Bible.) The Bible is unique, how-
7
ever, in that the men who wrote it did not merely write their own ideas. The
text above states that these holy men of old "spake as they were moved by
the
" About 40 different writers served as God's
penmen in the production of the Bible. These individuals lived and wrote in
such widely scattered localities as Sinai, Babylon, Jerusalem, and Rome.
God inspired various classes of writers. He used princes and paupers, heroes
and herdsmen.
Have you ever tried to jump to heaven from your back yard? There is no
way we can make it to heaven on our own. That is why God took the initia-
tive and came down to us.
For revelation to be revelation it must have su-
pernatural quality.
It comes as something from outside our world. It is not
merely the product of history. It does not spring from human creativity. It is
a message from beyond the human realm and therefore comes to inform,
motivate, and change us. It comes as the purpose of God's seeking—to tell
us how we can be saved. Salvation does not have its origin on our side. It
comes from His side. But it has been worked out on our side; coming to
fruition, or meaning in Christ. Christ came from heaven, was born into the
human family, and worked out salvation within human history. In the same
way divine thoughts have come to this earth, born into the minds of proph-
ets, who gave them to us in human expression.
The Holy Spirit is able to preserve the divine within the human. In the
same way that the divine and human natures were united in Jesus, divine
thoughts were kept preserved by the Spirit within human expressions. Thus
the Bible is at once fully human, but more than human. Through its human
words, thoughts, patterns, ideas, concepts, and history, God speaks.
II. EVIDENCES THAT THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED.
The Bible's impressive harmony, in spite of its great diversity in author-
ship, time, and places written, is one of the unmistakable evidences that it is
what it claims to be—the Word of God.
SEARCH AND LEARN: How do the following Bible passages indicate
that the Bible is inspired?
1.
2 Tim. 3:16
2.
Rom. 1:16
3.
1 Peter 1:24, 25
4.
Jer. 28
.
9
5.
Isa. 40
.
8
ILLUMINATION:
"The apostle Peter says that there are in Scripture
`things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrest . . . unto their own destruction.' 2 Peter 3:16. The difficulties of Scrip-
ture have been urged by skeptics as an argument against the Bible; but so far
from this, they constitute a strong evidence of its divine inspiration. . . .
8
About
The very grandeur and mystery of the themes presented should inspire faith
in it as the word of God.
"The Bible unfolds truth with a simplicity and a perfect adaptation to the
needs and longings of the human heart, that has astonished and charmed the
most highly cultivated minds, while it enables the humblest and uncultured
to discern the way of salvation. . . . Thus the plan of redemption is laid open
to us, so that every soul may see the steps he is to take in repentance toward
God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, in order to be saved in God's
appointed way; yet beneath these truths, so easily understood, lie mysteries
that are the hiding of His glory—mysteries that overpower the mind in its
research, yet inspire the sincere seeker for truth with reverence and faith.
The more he searches the Bible, the deeper is his conviction that it is the
word of the living God, and human reason bows before the majesty of divine
revelation.
"—Steps to Christ,
pp. 107, 108.
Because God changes not, the revelation of His character in the Scriptures
is unchanging. Because He has one way of saving lost men and women, the
portrayal of that way in the Scriptures never can be changed or superseded.
Because they are the word of God, they summon each of us to salvation and
obedience. In a world of flux and change, of shifting values and conflicting
claims of truth, they remain the one unerring standard.
III. HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE.
Tremendous joy comes in discovering the hidden treasures of the Word of
God. The reward we receive is worth far more than the effort it takes to
discover it. And the effort itself becomes joyful, just as with the man in the
parable of the hidden treasure who became so thrilled with his discovery that
in his joy he sold all that he had. The effort and trouble that it took to sell his
things quickly, even at a loss, was no bother to him, but was exciting in
itself as he anticipated the final results.
What attitude is essential to understanding the Bible? Prov. 28:5.
ILLUMINATION:
"Never should the Bible be studied without prayer.
Before opening its pages we should ask for the enlightenment of the Holy
Spirit, and it will be given.
"—Steps to Christ,
p. 91.
As we open our Bibles to study, we should lay aside all preconceived
opinions and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth. (See John 16:13.)
Why is the guidance of the Holy Spirit so essential in Bible study?
1 Cor. 2:11-14.
As we approach the study of the Scriptures, we must remember their
unique character. Ordinary means of investigation are inadequate. Many
have seen the three-dimensional motion pictures that require special glasses
9
to bring each scene into focus. God provides special glasses for us through
the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In a special way the Spirit of truth focuses
our attention on the plan of salvation.
What indication do we have that scripture needs to be compared with
scripture in order for us to get all God's counsel on a topic being stud-
ied? Isa. 28:10, 13.
Although we must compare scripture with scripture, we must seek to un-
derstand fully what a passage says before we move on to other passages. We
should not take it out of context, maki ig the passage say something that God
never intended it to say.
ILLUMINATION:
"We should take one verse, and concentrate the mind
on the task of ascertaining the thought which God has put in that verse for
us. We should dwell upon the thought until it becomes our own, and we
know 'what saith the Lord.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 390.
As we become better acquainted with God's will, what can we expect
to happen in our lives? Heb. 4:12.
If the study of the Bible does not change our lives, we can be certain there
is some fault in us. We cannot blame God. If we expect God to continue to
guide us into additional revelations of His will, we must accept and put into
practice the light He already has given us. (See John 7:17.)
What value is there to be found in memorizing portions of the Bible?
Psalm 119:11.
IV. THE IMPORTANCE OF BIBLE STUDY.
Why is daily Bible study so important to the Christian? Jer. 9:23, 24;
Acts 17:10, 11.
ILLUMINATION:
"Every day you should learn something new from the
Scriptures. Search them as for hid treasures, for they contain the words of
eternal life. Pray for wisdom and understanding to comprehend these holy
writings"--My
Life Today,
p. 22.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the passages that follow teach about
the importance of Bible study?
1.
Psalm 119:105
2.
Psalm 119:165
10
WED
3.
Matt 4
.
4
4.
John 5:24
5.
Rom. 10:17
COMPLETE:
Those who
and
that
which Christ teaches are like the man who built his home on the solid rock
(Luke 6:46-49). The floods mentioned in these verses represent the tests and
trials of life. Faith that stands life's tests is built on careful and prayerful
study of the Word of God.
V. THE WORD REVEALS THE WORD.
Wrongly viewed, even a Bible doctrine (for example, the destruction of
the wicked) can present a false picture of what God is like. But studied with
prayer and humility and with the Holy Spirit's immediate guidance, each
Bible teaching becomes a picture that helps us see God more clearly. In a
special way the Bible reveals God to us in Christ. Christ in turn is the clear-
est revelation of God's character that the world has ever seen. He is God's
thought made audible. He is God's character made tangible. He is God's
mind made understandable. •
What invitation does Christ extend to us through the Scriptures?
Matt. 11:28.
Christ suggests that as we "diligently study," we will find that "these are
the Scriptures that testify about me" (John 5:39, NIV). We find Him to be
the core, content, and context of these writings. If we take Jesus and His
salvation out of the Bible nothing substantial is left. All focuses on Him as
the central good news. Ali Scripture is given by divine inspiration, and is
able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Him (2 Tim.3:15, 16).
In coming to the Bible, we discover the Holy Spirit's mission is to lead us
to Jesus, to glorify Him, and not the Holy Spirit Himself (John 16:13, 14).
Because Biblical writers wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter
1:21), their focus also is on Jesus. Yet, to one unenlightened, or not guided
by the Spirit, the Bible remains closed. To experience the purpose of the
Scriptures, we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to encounter Christ
therein, and be led to glorify Him.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Read the introduction to
The
Great Controversy,
pp. v-ix. (If available to you read the excellent article in
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 15-23.)
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
The subject of inspiration and revelation re-
mains an issue of much theological discussion. Seventh-day Adventists re-
ject the concept of a double source of revelation—the Bible and tradition.
We Adventists accept the Bible only as the rule of our faith and practice.
On the various methods used in approaching the Scriptures, and the one
that we believe to be correct, we suggest that those deeply interested secure
a copy of the 1986 Annual Council action dealing with Methods of Bible
Study. Write the Biblical Research Institute, 6840 Eastern Ave. , N.W. ,
Washington, D.C. 20012 for a copy.
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
Set yourself a goal
of sharing what you are learning about what Seventh-day Adventists believe
with someone else every week this quarter. People with whom you share
this teaching about the Bible most likely will fit into one of the following
categories:
1.
Those who do not believe that the Bible is inspired. With such people
you should emphasize the Bible's claims and the evidences for them. Par-
ticularly emphasize such evidences as the Bible's power to change lives
through its presentation of Christ, its fulfilled prophecy, its unity of teach-
ing, and its timeless relevance for the problems of humanity.
2.
Those who believe that only portions of the Bible are inspired. Ask
these people, Who is to decide which portions are inspired? Cite the claims
to full inspiration in 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20, 21. Show how Jesus
and New Testament writers accepted and used the Old Testament as in-
spired.
3.
Those who accept the Bible as fully inspired. With these people you are
on common ground. Reinforce their beliefs as you demonstrate from the
Bible the truth of the Adventist message.
4.
Those who believe that every word in the original manuscripts was
dictated by God, and that it is completely inerrant. Explain that there would
not be the variety in style of writing or differences in recounting events if the
Holy Spirit had dictated every word of the Scriptures.
SUMMARY:
In two or three brief sentences, summarize what you have
learned from this lesson and what it means to you personally:
APPLICATION
o
Do I spend more time studying the Scriptures or looking at tele-
vision?
o
Do I study the Bible in order to prove a point or to strengthen my
relationship with its Author?
Watch at your local Adventist Book
Center for the supplemental book.
12
God Tens Us
About the Godhead
MEMORY TEXT: "Hear, 0 Israel: The Lord our God is one
Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. 6:4, 5).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Trinity.
There is one God: Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-
powerful, all knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and be-
yond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is
forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation."
—Fundamental Belief No. 2.
OUTLINE:
I.
There Is Only One God.
II.
Jesus Christ Is Deity.
III.
The Holy Spirit Is a Person and Deity.
IV.
There is Only One Creator—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
V.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Have the Same
Characteristics.
INTRODUCTION:
A woman in Sabbath School once asked her
teacher, "To whom do I pray, to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?"
With some feeling she explained that when she prayed to the Father, it
seemed that she was not communicating with Jesus. But when she spoke
directly to Jesus, it seemed that she was ignoring the Father.
The teacher explained that orthodox prayer is speaking to the Father, in
the name of the Son, through the power of the Holy Spirit. He went on to
explain, however, that Jesus may be addressed and worshiped directly. Paul
taught that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth" (Phil. 2:10).
When Stephen was dying he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit"
(Acts 7:59).
If you think of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as One, you know that
when you are speaking to Christ, you are also speaking to the Father and the
Spirit. Certainly they are three divine Persons; but they are One God who
loves you infinitely and wishes to have oversight of your entire life.
In every age some people have believed in the existence of many gods.
Unlike the nations around them, the ancient Israelites were monotheists—
they believed in only one God. This belief brought them into direct conflict
with the religions of other nations. The Psalmist wrote: "For all the gods of
the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens" (Ps. 96:5). Jacob
13
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S7
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03
=1
urged his household to put away the "strange gods" that were among them,
"and be clean" (Gen. 35:2). Jeremiah was instructed to proclaim: "The
gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish
from the earth, and from under these heavens" (Jer. 10:11).
The Christian church generally has accepted the Bible teaching that there
is only one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Most Christians agree that the
Bible teaching of one God in three divine Persons is a deep mystery that no
human mind can understand.
God's people are the first to admit that they cannot explain His nature.
Human wisdom, regardless of how penetrating and brilliant, is totally in-
capable of penetrating God's "hidden wisdom" (1 Cor. 2:7). Speaking of
this wisdom, Paul declared, "None of the rulers of this age has understood:
for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory" (1 Cor. 2:8, NASB). That which God has revealed about Himself in
the Bible has to be accepted by faith. But the most important issue is to
know Him as a Saviour from sin, who will give eternal life to those who
believe.
I. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD.
How did Moses express the confidence of Israel in their one God?
Dent. 6:4; 4:35.
The Hebrew of Deut. 6:4 reads literally: "Jehovah [or Yahweh] our God,
Jehovah [is] One." Consistently God revealed Himself to the prophets as
One. (See Ps. 83:18; 86:10; Isa. 43:10; 44:6.) No god ever preceded the one
true God, and no other has ever come into existence to share His glory.
According to Jesus, how many God's are there? Mark 12:28-34.
Jesus emphasized the Old Testament teaching that there is only one God.
His apostles taught the same truth. (See 1 Cor. 8:4; Eph. 4:5, 6; James
2:19.)
We are confronted by infinite mystery when we study the nature of God.
Even so, there are a few truths on this subject that are revealed clearly. "The
secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are re-
vealed belong unto us and to our children for ever" (Deut. 29:29).
Nothing else that the Scriptures teach about the nature of God contradicts
the truth that there is only one God. The doctrine of the Trinity does not
teach that there are three separate Gods who are united only morally and
spiritually. Jesus said, "I am in the Father, and the Father in me" (John
14:10). He explained to Philip, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father"
(John 14:9). No human analogy is adequate to explain this mystery, and no
human relationship completely parallels it.
ILLUMINATION:
"Unmistakable evidence is given that the Creator of
the universe, the One infinite in wisdom and love and truth, is the Supreme
Ruler of heaven and earth, and that none can with impunity defy His
power"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 123.
14
MON
God Tells Ws About th• Godhead
My
9
"Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source
and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 305.
"The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and is invisible to
mortal sight.
"The Son is all the fullness of the Godhead manifested. . . .
"The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to
heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the Godhead, making manifest the
power of divine grace to all who receive and believe in Christ as a personal
Saviour. There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of
these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those
who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will coop-
erate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life
in Christ.
"—Evangelism,
pp. 614, 615.
II. JESUS CHRIST IS DEITY.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He is equal
with the Father in authority and power, and mysteriously One with Him.
Christ is not another God, or an inferior God. He is Deity. He is so bound to
the Father in nature and attributes that to know Him is to know the Father.
SEARCH AND LEARN: How do the following Bible passages indicate
that Jesus is God in the fullest
sense?
1.
John 5:18
2.
John 8:58
3.
John 10:30-33, 38
4.
Col. 1:19; 2
.
9
5.
Isa 9
.
6
Jesus claimed equality with God. He referred to Himself as the "I AM"
(John 8:58), the name given to Himself by Yahweh in the time of Moses
(Ex. 3:14). His countrymen, who rejected His claim, took up stones to cast
at Him. To them this was supreme blasphemy because no one could make a
more exalted claim for Himself.
The Jews reacted in the same way when Jesus claimed: "I and my Father
are one" (John 10:30). "The Father is in me, and I in him" (verse 38;
compare John 14:9, 10).
Paul's statements in Col. 1:19 and 2:9 establish that the full and complete
nature of the Deity dwells in Christ. The word "fulness" means "complete-
ness, full measure." The word "Godhead" (Col. 2:9) translates the Greek
word that means "Deity."
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem the God of the universe came to dwell
with humanity (Matt. 1:23). Beyond our comprehension is the truth that the
babe in the manger was "The mighty God, The everlasting
-
Father, The
Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6). "And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom
15
was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in
the manger.
"—The Signs of the Times,
July 30, 1896.
This does not mean that the Father and the Son are the same Personality.
It means that, although having a distinct personality, Jesus was, and still
remains, the "express image" of the Father (Heb. 1:3). The Son of God
who came to earth first to show us how to live and then to die for our sins
was the One "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting"
(Micah 5:2). As the Deity, Christ, like the Father, has existed from the days
of eternity. (Compare Heb. 7:2, 3.)
Thomas claimed Jesus Christ as his Lord and God (John 20:28). Paul
taught that the One manifest in the flesh was God (1 Tim. 3:16), and that
"the great God and our Saviour" is "Jesus Christ" (Titus. 2:13).
SEARCH AND LEARN: Compare the following pairs of texts as evi-
dence that Jehovah (Yahweh or Lord) of the Old Testament is Jesus
Christ of the New Testament:
1.
Isa. 40:3 and Matt 3
.
3
2.
Isa. 8:13, 14 and 1 Peter 2:7, 8
3.
Isa. 6:5 and John 12:41
HI. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON AND DEITY.
The Holy Spirit is not presented in the Bible merely as God's influence on
human hearts. He is a Person who in nature, authority, and power is equal
with the Father and the Son.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What three marks of personality are pos-
sessed by the Holy Spirit?
1.
John 14:26; 16:13
2.
Acts 16:6, 7; 1 Cor. 12:11
3.
Acts 15:28; Eph. 4:30; Isa. 63:10
Because the Holy Spirit is the divine Teacher, we know that He has intel-
lect. Because He can forbid God's servants to do certain things or to go to
certain places, and because He can give spiritual gifts to whom He wishes,
we know that He has a will. The fact that the Spirit can be pleased, grieved,
and vexed demonstrates that He is capable of emotion.
Intellect, will, and emotion are major evidences of personality. No mere
influence can do the things that the Holy Spirit does.
The Holy Spirit assumed the form of tongues like fire on the day of Pente-
cost (Acts 2:3, 4). The experience demonstrated that the Spirit is a divine
Person who comes into people's lives. At the baptism of Jesus the Holy
Spirit descended like a dove and rested upon the Saviour (Matt. 3:16). No
mere influence would be represented in these ways.
16
SEARCH AND LEARN: How do the following texts indicate the Deity
of the Holy Spirit?
1.
Acts 5:3-5
2.
2 Sam. 23:2, 3
3.
2 Peter 1:21 compared with 2 Tim. 3:16
4.
Eze. 8:1, 3
Ananias and Sapphira lied "to the Holy Ghost" (Acts 5:3), or "unto
God" (verse 4). Only God has the right to withdraw His life-giving power
from a person" (verse 5). The point is that the Holy Ghost is God. "The
Spirit of the Lord" who spoke by David (2 Sam. 23:2) is the same Person as
"the God of Israel" (verse 3). Holy men of old (the prophets) were inspired
by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:21), who is God (2 Tim. 3:16).
The "hand of the Lord God," which fell upon Ezekiel, was the hand of
the Holy Spirit, who lifted him up and took him in vision to another location
(Eze. 8:1, 3).
These are a few examples of the many that could be given from Scripture
indicating that the Holy Spirit is Deity. He is spoken of as "the eternal
Spirit" (Heb. 9:14). He is the Source of spiritual power for God's people
(Micah 3:8; Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:18, 19).
ILLUMINATION:
"The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not
bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of
God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the
secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God.
"—Evangelism,
p. 617.
IV. THERE IS ONLY ONE CREATOR—FATHER, SON, AND
HOLY SPIRIT.
How many Creators does the Bible speak of? Mal. 2:10; 1 Peter 4:19;
compare Gen. 1:26.
The use of the plural in Gen. 1:26 suggests that all three members of the
Deity were involved.
SEARCH AND LEARN: According to these passages, who was the Cre-
ator?
1.
Gen 1
.
1
2.
1 Cor. 8:6
3.
Col. 1:16
WED
17
Lesson
4.
Heb. 1:2, 3
5.
Job 26:13; 33:4; Psalm 104:30
The Creator, who is one Deity, not three, includes three divine Persons:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is such a close and mysterious bond
between them that it is never correct to regard them as three separate Gods.
Christ and the Holy Spirit exercise all the same powers and prerogatives
as does the Father. There is no suggestion in Scripture that the Son and the
Holy Spirit are subordinate or inferior to the Father. Those passages that
speak of the Father as greater than the Son (John 14:28), or as knowing more
than the Son (Mark 13:32) refer to the limitations that Christ imposed upon
Himself as a man while here on earth. When Christ accepted a subordinate
and dependent role He did not cease to be Deity. He wished to demonstrate
to us how a human being could live in complete obedience to God's will by
relying upon Him for power.
V. THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT HAVE THE SAME
CHARACTERISTICS.
Because they are each "the fulness of the Godhead" (Col. 2:9), the Fa-
ther, Son, and Holy Spirit have certain identical characteristics. It is encour-
aging for believers to know what these characteristics are. The infinite abili-
ties that God possesses make it possible for Him to protect and guide His
people.
What does the Bible teach about the power of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit? Job 42:1, 2; Matt. 28:18; Rom. 15:19.
What other abilities does God have?
1.
Psalm 147:5; John 16:30; 1 Cor. 2:10
2.
Psalm 139:7-10
ILLUMINATION:
"All created beings live by the will and power of God.
They are dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to
the humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life.
"—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 785.
An infinitely powerful being who did not love others would be someone
to be afraid of. Our God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) loves so infinitely
that He was prepared to suffer intensely to save us from sin and eternal
death.
When we accept Christ as Saviour and Lord, the love of God is "shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5).
Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts is the presence
18
of both the Father and the Son (John 14:18, 23). The all-powerful, all-
knowing, infinitely-loving Creator promises to dwell within each of us, liv-
ing out His life through us (Gal. 2:20). In this way the divine life and love
fill our souls.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
In the light of the truth re-
vealed in this lesson, how would you interpret the following Bible passages?
John 1:1; Col. 1:15-17; Rev. 3:14.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
In A.D. 325, the Council of Nicea condemned
Arianism, a heresy that denied the full Deity and eternal pre-
existence of Christ. Arius taught that, back in the eternal ages, Christ was
brought into existence by the Father. Therefore, Arius depicted Christ as an
inferior deity. Some modern religious groups have followed Arius quite
closely.
Another false view of the Godhead is known as modalism. Adherents of
this view think of each member of the Godhead as another mode or form
which the one God assumes at different times. A modern form of modalism
is unitarianism.
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
It is important to
emphasize what the doctrine of the Trinity has to do with our spiritual life
and our salvation. The concept that Christ is a created being, minimizes the
majestic truth that one equal with God, Jesus Christ, died for humankind on
the cross of Calvary. The effect is to reduce our appreciation for the ultimate
sacrifice that God paid to redeem us. "The divinity of Christ is the believer's
assurance of eternal life"—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 530.
If we regard Christ and the Holy Spirit as less in power and authority than
the Father, our relationship with Them will be less than it should be. How
excited would you be if the ruler of your country invited you to dinner?
Would you be just as excited if the vice-president or some cabinet member
invited you to dinner? In the Trinity we have three Persons of equal power
and authority knocking at our heart's door and offering to dwell within us.
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists are trinitarian monotheists. They be-
lieve that our
one
God includes
three
distinct Persons: the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. This mystery must be accepted by faith. Only in the
heavenly kingdom will we understand the nature of God more fully. In this
life every believer has the exciting privilege of having God live in His life.
APPLICATION
®
Am I willing to believe that God is my loving heavenly Father?
0 Am I willing to accept Jesus Christ as supreme Lord?
NOTES:
19
00
,
06
God Tells Us
What he Os Like
MEMORY TEXT: "If ye had known me, ye should have known
my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen
him" (John 14:7).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Father.
God the Eternal Father is the Cre-
ator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy,
merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy
Spirit are also revelations of the Father. "—Fundamental Belief No. 3.
OUTLINE:
I. Limits to Our Understanding of God.
H. God the Eternal Father.
III.
What Creation Reveals About God.
IV.
What God Is Like.
V.
God Revealed in the Son and Holy Spirit.
INTRODUCTION:
Bored with the cult of self, many people today are
looking for something better. And there
is
something better, something
more satisfying—knowing God. Because God wants us to know Him, He
has revealed Himself in many ways—first of all, in the Bible.
The Bible makes no direct attempt to prove God's existence—it assumes
it. The first words of the Bible, "In the beginning God created the heaven
and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), indicate that before the world was, He was. He is
the Creator and Source of matter and life.
However, there is much about the essential nature of God that we do not
know, because He has not revealed it to us. Among those items that are not
revealed are the nature of His essence and how He can be eternal, infinite,
and omnipresent. But God's nature is understood to some extent through the
way that He deals with us, as well as in what He tells us about Himself. He
has revealed that which is important for our salvation.
I. LIMITS TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD.
Picture Albert Einstein trying to explain the theory of relativity to a 3-
year-old. There is no way that a 3-year-old could begin to grasp the com-
plexity of all that was going on in the mind of the great scientist. We are in
that position when it comes to trying to understand the mind of God or even
what He is like. The lowliest angel is far superior to Einstein in intellect and
brilliance. If we cannot understand the nature and power of an angel, how
20
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much less can we understand the nature and magnificence of God the Fa-
ther.
SEARCH AND LEARN: How do the following scriptures reveal the
limits to our understanding of God?
Job 11
.
7
Psalm 145
.
3
Isa. 55
.
8
Rom. 11:33
Human words cannot convey the content adequately when speaking of
God; they merely point beyond themselves in the direction of God. Man
stutters when he tries to speak about God. One of the reasons that Jesus lived
among people for more than thirty years was to demonstrate God in actions
that would speak more clearly than words. That's why He said: "I am the
way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now
on, you do know him and have seen him" (John 14:6,7 NIV).
Even though we cannot understand God fully, what thrilling aspect
of our relationship with Him does He make possible when we choose to
believe in Him? Heb. 11:1, 6.
II. GOD THE ETERNAL FATHER.
1. The Personhood of God.
How did Jesus describe God to the Samaritan woman at the well?
John 4:24.
Jesus' statement to the woman at the well of Sychar was not intended to
indicate that God is without form or center of being or activity. Christ's
statement has to do with power and quality rather than with essence of be-
ing. The nature of the infinite God is far beyond that of finite humans and
not to be confused with our nature. He is supernatural and exalted, beyond
our ability to conceive. He exists on a plane, or dimension, that is incompre-
hensible to us.
Yet the Hebrew concept of spirit is more concrete than abstract. God oc-
cupies space even though He is unseeable as far as humans are concerned.
We are formed in His image (Gen. 1:27), indicating that He has a specific
form. Throughout the Bible God is described as a person. He speaks, hears,
sees, and writes. He regrets, is grieved, and displays anger and joy. Yet the
human manifestations of such actions and emotions are very imperfect illus-
trations of the infinitely righteous manner in which God acts and feels.
21
SEARCH AND LEARN: What other aspects of God as a Person are
indicated in the texts that follow?
2 Cor. 1:1; Psalm 40
.
8
Rom. 2:16; Psalm 7:11
Isa. 55:7
Deut. 29:29
We need to counterbalance these statements with an understanding that
God's personhood is not limited to our conceptions of personhood. He is
above all, He created all, and He upholds all. He is omnipotent (Rev. 19:6),
high and holy (Isa. 57:15), omniscient (1 John 3:20), has infinite wisdom
(Eph. 1:8), is eternal and immortal (1 Tim. 1:17), and omnipresent (Psalm
139:7; Jer. 23:24)—free from all limitations of space in His activities.
Beyond this, God is the self-determining and self-directing center of what
is happening in our universe. He conceives purposes, and works to see that
His purposes are ultimately carried out and accomplished.
2. God as Father.
Jesus' favorite way of identifying God was as Father. In the Lord's prayer
Jesus indicates that God
wants
us to call Him "Father."
SEARCH AND LEARN: Study the passages that follow in order to
learn what you can about Jesus' use of the term
Father.
1.
Matt. 11:25-27
2.
Mark 14:36
3.
Luke 10:22
4.
John 5:19-26
5.
John 17
.
5
Through adoption by Christ, we become His sons and daughters (John
1:12, 13). God our heavenly Father is not just some sort of impersonal force
or universal energy.
III. WHAT CREATION REVEALS ABOUT GOD.
Someone has said, "God has two books—the Bible and the book of
nature."
To what extent does nature reveal God to us? Rom. 1:20.
At the time of Creation, all things, in their original perfection, were an
22
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expression of God's thought and, as such, mirrored clearly the divine nature
and goodness of the Creator. Nature was full of the knowledge of God, and
all about was the evidence of His wisdom and love. But as soon as Adam
and Eve sinned the consequences of sin became evident in a marred and
defiled world. "Yet even in its blighted state, much that is beautiful re-
mains. God's object lessons are not obliterated; rightly understood, nature
speaks of her Creator.
"—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 18.
According to the psalmist, how widespread is nature's revelation of
the Creator? Psalm 19:1-4.
R. J.
Voskuyl, formerly professor of chemistry and dean of Wheaton Col-
lege, states: "One cannot rightly know God from the natural world alone.
The scientist may work for an eternity, but he will never come to know God
and all His attributes. . . . Man is but a creature of a Creator; therefore, man
cannot learn about God by investigation of His creation alone, but he needs a
special revelation. That special revelation is God's Word, which has been
given in the Scriptures. "—Members of the American Scientific Affiliation,
Modern Science and Christian Faith
(Wheaton, Ill.: Van Kampen Press,
1950), p. 4.
Because the Author of the Bible is the same as the Author of the book of
nature, there can be no discrepancies between these two forms of revelation
when rightly understood. Apparent discrepancies can be explained alone on
the grounds of the limited ability of finite human minds to grasp fully the
nature of God or the workings of His infinite mind.
We have to repress consciously God's revelation of Himself through His
Word and through nature in order to take the position that He does not exist.
One Nobel prize winning scientist reasoned that, since his mind was incapa-
ble of conceiving of a being with the enormous wisdom and power to design
and create this universe, he settled the matter by simply denying the exist-
ence of God.
The Scriptures declare, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no
God' " (Psalm 14:1, NASB .)
But to those who learn the proper use of God's revelation of Himself in
nature, "the earth will nevermore be a lonely and desolate place. It will be
their Father's house, filled with the presence of Him who once dwelt among
men."—Education,
p. 120.
IV. WHAT GOD IS LIKE.
1. The Old Testament Picture of God.
There are those who make an attempt to picture the God of the Old Testa-
ment as stern and frightening. But when properly understood the Old Testa-
ment God can be seen to be a loving, merciful God, as well as a God of
justice. He expects obedience but paid an infinite price to make obedience
possible.
SEARCH AND LEARN: How do the psalmists portray the goodness
and greatness of God?
23
WED
1.
Psalm 33
.
5
2.
Psalm 103
.
8
3.
Psalm 111
.
9
4.
Psalm 147
.
5
God's love is not conditioned, but springs forth spontaneously through
His free decision and is thus a manifestation of His sovereignty. (See Jer.
31:3.) The prophets cite various reasons given by God for His love for Is-
rael, such as: God chose Israel for the Father's sake or for David's sake
(Deut. 7:8; Isa. 37:35), or He chose them for His own credit's sake or for
His own name's sake (2 Kings 19:34; Eze. 20:9), or He chose them in order
to punish the wicked surrounding nations (Deut. 9:4, 5). But the reasons
given are incomplete. In God's actions and love there is mystery beyond
human understanding.
2. The New Testament Picture of God.
In the Old Testament we sense God's eagerness to reveal that which we
find almost impossible to understand fully about Him—His amazing trust-
worthiness and love. But in the New Testament we have the event toward
which the Old Testament has been moving. It reveals God's unfathomable
love, as nothing else ever has or could.
What characteristic of God is stated clearly in the New Testament?
1 John 4:8, 16.
These verses imply that there never has been or ever will be a time when
God is
not
love. Here is revealed a unique and distinctive understanding of
God that human minds unaided could not possibly have achieved. God's
revelation was necessarily progressive, reaching its climax in the greatest
possible manifestation of divine love at Calvary. "For God so loved the
world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, RSV).
God's love extends even beyond the heights of Calvary. How does
John describe our ultimate understanding of the love of God? 1 John
3:1, 2.
V. GOD REVEALED IN THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Not only do the powers and qualities exhibited by God the Son and God
the Spirit reveal to us what the Father is like, but both also are involved in
teaching us about the Father.
What did Jesus say about people being able to know God through
Him? John 14:9.
24
OA %fib &Mae 112 Eb Oft
9* 60
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me" (John 14:6, NIV). Not only did Jesus come to
reveal the Father but also to become our way to the Father.
How did Jesus assess His success in revealing the Father to His fol-
lowers? John 17:4, 6.
When Jesus stooped down and washed the feet of His betrayer (John
13:11-14) He demonstrated what the Father is like. He is love. When He fed
the hungry (Mark 6:39-44; 8:2-9), healed the deaf (Mark 9:25-27), dumb
(Mark 7:33-37), blind (Mark 8:23-26), palsied (Luke 5:18-26), and lepers
(Luke 5:12, 13), cast out demons (Matt. 15:22-28; 17:14, 21), raised the
dead (Mark 5:35-42; John 11:17-45), and forgave sinners (John 8:4-11) He
enabled people to see the Father mingling among humanity, bringing them
His life, setting them free, giving them hope, and pointing them to a restored
new earth to come.
The Holy Spirit's love for us, implied in Romans 8:26, 27, demon-
strates God's love for us. What part does the Spirit have in helping us
understand the truth about the Father? John 16:13-15.
The picture of God developed in the story of the prodigal son in Luke
15:11-32 undoubtedly provides one of the clearest pictures ever given the
world of the heavenly Father's love for His prodigal children on earth. One
fact we do not ordinarily consider is that the Father in heaven lost His Son.
He so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Other sons have run away
as prodigals. But this Son, Jesus, went into the far country to seek and to
save the lost.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Read
Steps to Christ,
pp. 9-
15;
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
pp. 105-107.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
God is often depicted as a harsh Judge, a God
of vengeance, One to be afraid of. Such a depiction is foreign to the Bible.
(See Psalms 42:1, 2; 55:22; 103:13, 14.)
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
There are four gen-
eral categories of belief relative to the doctrine of God:
1.
Atheists
believe there is no God.
2.
Agnostics
believe that it is impossible to know whether there is a God,
a future life, or anything not material.
3.
Deists
believe that God created the world but assumes no control over
it or over the lives of its inhabitants.
4.
Believers
in the existence and controlling power of God.
In approaching those in the first three categories, your personal Christ-
like character will be more convincing than argument. With believers, you
should seek to deepen their conviction of God's greatness, love, trustworthi-
25
ness, and power. In all cases the following counsel is important: "The Gos-
pel is to be presented, not as a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change
the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses to its
power.
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 826.
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists believe that God the eternal Father,
personal God, is all-powerful, all-knowing, and capable of being every-
where at once. His unfathomable love for His fallen human beings led Him
to sacrifice infinitely for their salvation. Although the Father's perfect right-
eousness and justice will never excuse or tolerate sin, He makes supreme
efforts to redeem sinners and restore them to a condition of perfect sinless-
ness.
APPLICATION
o
What is my honest opinion about God, and how do I relate to Him?
o
How much time do I spend on a daily basis in cultivating a friendship
with God through study, meditation, and prayer?
Give the Far East a Hug This
Quarter
It's easy to love
children. So think
of the Far East as
703 million chil-
dren. (We're all
children at heart!)
And express your
love for us by giv-
ing a generous
Thirteenth Sab-
bath Offering on
September 24.*
Thirteenth Sabbath Offering
Far Eastern Division
* Your offering will provide Junior Bible Seminaries in Burma, a college for
Thailand, and a literature ministry seminary in the Philippines.
26
ik
God Tel% Us
About His Son
7;
.
k1 3
MEMORY TEXT: "For such an high priest became us, who is
=A
holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high
priests, to offer up sacrifice; first for his own sins, and then for
the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself"
(Heb. 7:26, 27).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Son.
God the eternal Son became incar-
nate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, the character of
God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is.
judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He
was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and
experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly exemplified the
righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested God's power
and was attested as God's promised Messiah. He suffered and died voluntar-
ily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, and
ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf: He will come
again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of
all things . "—Fundamental Belief No. 4.
OUTLINE:
I.
Jesus—the Promised Messiah.
II.
Jesus—Fully God and Fully Man.
III.
Jesus—Sin-bearer for All.
IV.
Jesus—Mediator and Judge.
V.
Jesus—Coming King.
INTRODUCTION:
What a risk God took when He created angels and
humans with the ability to choose or reject His love and manner of life! The
enormity of the risk was dramatized when Lucifer, having decided to orga-
nize his own government, led one third of the angels to join him in civil war
against the government of God. Then God took the further risk of creating
our world, inhabiting it with human beings who could choose either His
government or Satan's. What would God do if they chose Satan as their
ruler? Suppose they had second thoughts and sincerely decided that they
wanted to be God's subjects after all? Would God give them another chance
or would He destroy them?
Those questions were answered by God Himself long before our world
was created. He Himself would pay the penalty for the guilt of every human
being, so that all those who wanted to return to His kingdom and be His
faithful servants would have the opportunity.
27
4
SUN
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gj)
Lesson
That is why Jesus Christ came to our world. Stepping down from His
position as the supreme King of the universe, He became a human being,
demonstrated that His law could be obeyed, and bore the penalty for the sin
of the entire world. No love can compare with that!
I. JESUS—THE PROMISED MESSIAH.
The plan for Christ to die for all human sin was devised by God Himself
and announced to our first parents as soon as they fell into disobedience.
When did God decide that Christ should be our Saviour? 1 Peter
1:18-20.
When was God's plan first announced to humans? Gen. 3:15.
ILLUMINATION:
"The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought,
a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of 'the mystery
which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.' Rom. 16:25, R. V. It
was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foun-
dation of God's throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the
apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the
apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its exist-
ence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His
love for the world, that he covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, 'that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'
John 3:16.
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 22.
SEARCH AND LEARN: Compare the following pairs of texts as an
indication of how Jesus Christ's birth, life, and death fulfilled the Old
Testament prophecies of the Messiah's coming.
1.
Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:1-9
2.
Num. 24:17; Matt. 2:1, 2, 7, 9-11—The star in the east.
3.
Isa. 42:2-7; Matt. 12:15-22
4.
Isa. 53:3-5; Matt. 27:29-31—Christ wounded and bruised for us.
5.
Isa. 53:7; Matt. 27:12-14
6.
Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-60—Buried in rich man's tomb.
7.
Isa. 53:12; Mark 15:27, 28
8.
Psalm 22:16-18; John 19:17, 18, 24 (compare John 20:25-27)—
Christ's crucifixion and the casting of lots for His garments.
28
9. Psalm 16:8-11; Acts 2:24-32—The resurrection.
Because of the remarkable way in which Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament
prophecies, we can have confidence that He is the promised Messiah. The
major events of Christ's life were foretold by prophets of the Old Testament.
The New Testament writers constantly appeal to Christ's fulfillment of the
prophecies as the best evidence for His Deity and Messiahship.
II. JESUS—FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN.
How did Jesus identify Himself? What did He say about His pre-
existence? John 8:58; John 17:5.
When Jesus came to earth He did not cease to be God. He claimed that He
was the I AM of the Old Testament. (Compare Ex. 3:14.) The prophet Mi-
cah had predicted that the Messiah would be the One who had existed from
the days of eternity (Micah 5:2), and Jesus taught that He was that One.
When here on earth, although remaining fully God, Jesus laid aside the
use of His divine attributes for Himself.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the following passages teach us about
the Deity and eternal pre-existence of Christ?
1.
John 1:1-3, 14
2.
John 5:18
3.
Col 2
.
9
4.
Heb 7
.
3
5.
Col. 1:16, 17
ILLUMINATION:
"By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His
divinity, He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave
us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us power to obey. It
was Christ who from the bush on Mount Horeb spoke to Moses saying, 'I
AM THAT I AM. . . . Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM
hath sent me unto you.' Ex. 3:14. This was the pledge of Israel's deliver-
ance. So when He came 'in the likeness of men,' He declared Himself the I
AM. The Child of Bethlehem, the meek and lowly Saviour, is God 'manifest
in the flesh.' 1 Tim. 3:16.
"—The Desire of Ages,
pp. 24, 25.
What assurances are we given that Jesus was fully human? What do
these assurances mean to us? Rom. 1:3; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 4:15, 16.
Jesus Christ did not come to demonstrate how God can obey His own law.
His purpose was to show how humans can obey God's law by relying upon
their heavenly Father for strength. In so doing, Christ demonstrated
29
the justice and fairness of God. In Christ, the Deity was manifested in hu-
manity. Jesus was born of a woman (Luke 1:30-35). He was God "manifest
in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). His favorite name for Himself was "Son of
man." (See Matt. 11:19; Mark 2:28; Luke 21:27; John 3:14.)
Although He was fully human, and was tempted just as we are, Jesus
never sinned. (See 1 Peter. 2:22, 23; John 8:46; Heb. 7:26.) If Jesus had
been a sinner, then Satan would have claimed that his criticism of the law of
God was correct. He would have accused God of injustice in expecting His
created beings to obey His law. By relying upon His Father for victory, Jesus
was able to overcome every one of Satan's temptations.
Are we able to overcome temptation as Jesus did? 1 Peter 2:21-23;
Rev. 3:21; 1 Cor. 10:13.
ILLUMINATION:
"Jesus left the royal courts of heaven and suffered
and died in a world degraded by sin, that He might teach man how to pass
through the trials of life and overcome its temptations. Here is a pattern for
us."—Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 312. (See also
Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 312;
Councils on Diet and Foods,
p. 186.)
III. JESUS—SIN-BEARER FOR ALL.
By His death, Jesus paid the price for our guilt; by His life, He showed us
how to live.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the passages that follow teach about
the significance of Christ's suffering on the cross?
1.
Isa. 53:6, 12
2.
2 Cor. 5:21
3.
1 Peter 2:24
4.
Heb. 9:28
5.
1 John 3:5
The death of Jesus on the cross was the most amazing event in the history
of our universe. God Himself bore the punishment for all human sin. How
did He do this? When the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are One, were
separated because of human guilt, the universe beheld the most awful agony
possible. Jesus' suffering was not primarily physical. His suffering was so
intense that it is beyond human understanding. It was the suffering of infi-
nite God, separated from infinite God. That is why it was infinite suffering.
And that is why it is sufficient to atone for all human sin. (See
The Desire of
Ages,
p. 753.)
How important to every human soul was Jesus' resurrection from the
dead? 1 Cor. 15:17-23.
30
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If Jesus had not risen from the dead there would be no hope for believers,
whether they lived before or after the cross. Abraham will rise from the dead
at the Second Advent because Jesus died for his sins on Calvary's cross.
Paul's hope was Abraham's hope. Christ died to deliver us from the guilt of
sin; He lives to rescue us from the power of temptation. His resurrection
makes possible our resurrection from both spiritual and physical death. (See
1 Peter. 1:3-5; Rom. 8:11, 23.)
IV. JESUS—MEDIATOR AND JUDGE.
After rising from the dead, Jesus returned to heaven and began His work
as High
-
Priest in the sanctuary. His death upon the cross atoned for human
guilt. His high-priestly ministry applies the merits of His sacrifice for those
who accept Him as Saviour and Lord.
What is involved in Jesus' work as Mediator? 1 John 1:9; 2:1; Heb.
7:25.
At the cross, the price of sin for the whole world was paid. Eternal life
was guaranteed. But the sacrifice of Jesus is meaningless and of none effect
unless His gift of salvation is accepted by the individual. (See Rom. 5:17.)
Christ's suffering for human guilt made it possible for those who repent and
confess to be forgiven. Forgiveness through Christ was a major part of the
apostles' preaching. (See Acts 13:38, 39; 5:31; Eph. 1:7.) No one needs to
go through life feeling condemned for the sins of the past. When Jesus for-
gives, the condemnation is gone (Rom. 8:1).
What else does the heavenly Mediator do for those who turn to Him?
Heb. 9:12-14; 10:19-22.
Jesus' heavenly mediation not only takes care of past guilt, but it also
cleanses the heart from sin. The sacrifice of Calvary made it possible for the
heavenly High Priest to "purge your conscience from dead works to serve
the living God" (Heb. 9:14). The word "conscience" translates the Greek
word that means "consciousness." Jesus takes away consciousness of guilt,
and the desire for sin.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the passages that follow tell us about
Jesus' work as Judge and Advocate?
1.
Dan. 7:9, 10, 13
2.
John 5:22
3.
Acts 10:42
4.
Acts 17:31
5.
Rom. 2:16
31
WED
There are four major aspects to Jesus' work as Judge. (These four aspects
will be dwelt on more fully in future lessons): (1) Christ conducts the pre-
advent, investigative judgment. (Compare Dan. 7:9, 10, 13 with Matt.
22:11-14.) (2) Christ executes judgment upon the living wicked at his sec-
ond advent. (See 2 Thess. 1:7-10.) (3) During the millennium Christ directs
His redeemed people in an examination of the life records of the wicked
dead. (See Rev. 20:4.) (4) At the end of the millennium Christ pronounces
and executes final judgment upon the wicked. (See Rev. 20:11-15.)
V. JESUS—COMING KING.
The second coming of Jesus Christ is the blessed hope of every believing
Christian. It is spoken of in many passages throughout the Bible.
What happens to the redeemed when Jesus comes the second time?
John 14:1-3; Rev. 7:13-17.
The second advent will be a glorious public event. (See Rev. 1:7; Matt.
24:30, 31; 2 Peter. 3:10.) Believers who have died will be raised and caught
up to meet the Lord in the sky (1 Thess. 4:16). Then the living believers will
be reunited with their loved ones, and together they will be taken to be with
Christ for eternity (1 Thess. 4:17).
What spiritual experience does Jesus want His people to have before
He comes the second time? Rev. 3:3-5; 2 Peter 3:11-14.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Study the following passages
for further insight into the kind of spiritual experience that Christ wishes His
people to enjoy: 1 Peter 1:15, 16; Rom. 6:18, 22; Eph. 4:13, 14; 5:26, 27;
Rev. 3:18; 12:11; 14:4, 5; 19:7, 8.
Read the chapter entitled "The Final Warning" in
The Great Controversy,
pp. 603-612.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
Certain religious leaders during the early cen-
turies taught that Christ lacked full deity. Others denied that Christ was
really a human being. They asserted that He only appeared to be a man.
While admitting that it is a mystery that must be accepted by faith, Chris-
tianity in general has held firmly to the belief that Christ is fully God and
fully man.
Throughout the centuries there has been much discussion on the question
of the human nature of Christ during the incarnation. Regardless of the posi-
tion taken, there has always been considerable agreement on certain major
points: Christ lived a sinless life; He was tempted in all points as we are; He
could have sinned; His secret of victory was total dependence upon His Fa-
ther; through the same dependence upon Christ, His followers can be
overcomers; and victory over sin by faith in Christ's power should be the
goal of every Christian.
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HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
The greatest confir-
mation of this doctrine is for Christ to be dwelling in our hearts constantly.
(See Rom. 8:9, 10.) We need to put away all dissension and give ourselves
totally to Christ for His use in saving the lost. Then as we pray for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in apostolic power, souls will be touched by
our witness in word and deed and many will be converted.
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus Christ is the
Messiah promised by the Old Testament prophets. He was born of a virgin
and lived a blameless life of unselfish ministry. He was God in the highest
sense, and human in every respect, except that He was not a sinner. He
suffered for all human guilt, died, and rose again. He ascended to heaven,
where He now mediates the merits of His sacrifice for those who believe.
His work as Judge will come to an end only when the righteous are given
eternal life and the wicked are destroyed eternally.
APPLICATION
Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God as well as man?
Do you want Jesus to forgive your sins, purify your life, and use you
to help others find eternal life?
What Giving
Means to Me
If I give nothing,
I cast a
vote in favor of closing my church.
If I give grudgingly,
I shall neither find joy nor receive God's
blessing.
If I give systematically,
I make it possible for my church to plan to
advance, and I make it easier for myself.
If I give sacrificially,
I testify to the high value I place upon Christ and
the ministry of His church to the physical and
spiritual needs of suffering humanity.
—Thorvald Kristensen.
33
God TeEllis Us
About his Spirit
MEMORY TEXT: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give
you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even
the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16, 17).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Holy Spirit.
God the eternal Spirit was
active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption.
He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power. He
draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and
transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be
always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers
it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into
all truth. "—Fundamental Belief No. 5.
OUTLINE:
I.
The Person of the Holy Spirit.
II.
The Work of the Holy Spirit.
III.
The Spirit as Christ's Representative.
IV.
The Spirit's Work in Us.
V.
The Spirit's Work Through Us.
INTRODUCTION:
The lamps flickered in the upper room as the disciples
conversed with their Teacher. The questions they asked Jesus after
associating with Him for about three years showed that they did not yet
understand fully the reason for His mission on earth. They continued to hope
that He would free their nation from Roman domination As he sought to
prepare them for the alarming events that were almost upon them, Jesus
could sense their confusion. To allay their fears for the future, He spoke of
the gift that He and His Father would give the world—the Holy Spirit.
"Don't worry about the future," He said, in effect. "You will have My
presence with you in the form of the Holy Spirit. He will guide and sustain
you through every experience, however difficult and trying."
As one of the members of the Godhead the Holy Spirit is a person and
fully divine. He was active with the Father and Son at Creation and has been
closely involved since in the outworking of the plan of redemption.
The Holy Spirit was no stranger to the disciples. Jesus explained, "Ye
know him; for he dwelleth with you," but added a promise that the Holy
Spirit "shall be in you" (John 14:17). In a new and exciting way the Holy
Spirit was to represent Christ and dwell in and with Christian believers.
34
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SAB
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1
E
I. THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
How do Acts 5:3, 4 and 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11 establish the fact that
the Holy Spirit is a member of the triune Godhead?
The three persons of the Godhead are portrayed in the Bible as interrelat-
ing to one another in the way expected among persons. They use personal
pronouns when speaking of one another. (See Matt. 17:5; John 16:13; 17:1,
5, 6.) They love and glorify one another. (See John 3:35; 15:10; 16:14.) The
Father sends the Son (Matt. 10:40), the Son prays to the Father, and the Son
sends the Holy Spirit as Their agent (John 14:26; 16:7). The persons in the
Godhead are so distinct that They can address one another, love one an-
other, and act in relationship to one another. Each of Them also has a par-
ticular work to perform even when They are cooperating together in such
activities as Creation and redemption.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the Bible passages that follow reveal
about the distinct personhood of the Holy Spirit?
1.
Matt. 28:19
2.
Matt. 3:16, 17
3.
Luke 1:35
4.
John 15:26
5.
2 Cor. 13:14
ILLUMINATION:
"The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three
holy dignitaries of heaven, have declared that they will strengthen men to
overcome the powers of darkness. All the facilities of heaven are pledged to
those who by their baptismal vows have entered into a covenant with
God."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p.
1110.
II. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
It is possible that the person and work of the Holy Spirit are the least
understood of any member of the Godhead. One of the reasons is that the
nature of His work is to present Christ and the Father rather than Himself.
When the Holy Spirit is first introduced in the Bible, what is the na-
ture of the work that He is said to perform? Gen. 1:2.
Not much is said about the Holy Spirit's role in Creation. But a further
glimpse into His creative work is given in the re-creative work that He does
within each person who is open to God. It is not the Father or the Son but the
"Creator" Holy Spirit through whom God executes His work within us. In
35
Creation, incarnation and re-creation, the Godhead is at work, and always
the Spirit brings God's objective to its goal.
What other special role is filled by the Holy Spirit? 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
Not only did the Holy Spirit inspire the prophets in producing the Scrip-
tures but He also has helped people through the ages understand what was
written. Through His ministry the Scriptures come alive, making Christ real
to us today, softening our hearts to the Saviour, and enabling us to live for
Him.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What other indications are given of the
Spirit's ministry in Old Testament times?
1.
Gen 61
2.
Ex. 31
.
3
3.
Eze. 36:25-27
4.
Zech 4
.
6
III. THE SPIRIT AS CHRIST'S REPRESENTATIVE.
God's people during Old Testament times looked forward to the coming
of two members of the Godhead—Jesus the Messiah and the Spirit as "for-
mer rain" (Joel 2:28). This is not to suggest that they usually understood
what was involved in this twofold coming, but at least the prophets heralded
that future day when both members of the Godhead, in different ways,
would come to Planet Earth as they had not come previously.
SEARCH AND LEARN: In what way was Jesus' mission as the
Messiah dependent upon the Spirit?
1.
Matt. 1:18-21
2.
Mark 1:9, 10
3.
Luke 4
.
1
4.
Matt. 12:24-32
5.
Heb. 9:14, 15
6.
Rom. 8:9-11
In what significant way did the work of the Holy Spirit on earth
change after Jesus returned to heaven? John 14:26; 16:7-14.
36
Herein lies a paradox. In departing, Christ could send the Spirit to bring
Himself to be present everywhere. Cumbered with humanity, Christ no
longer had omnipresence. This is why it was expedient that He depart.
Rather than be limited to one place at a time, through the Spirit He could be
everywhere all the time. With this in mind, Jesus said, "I will ask the Fa-
ther, and He will give you another Counselor . . . the Spirit of truth. . . . I
will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:16-18, NIV).
What new names are given to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament?
John 14:16, 17.
In the New Testament age the Holy Spirit brings Christ to people in a way
not done before. Incarnation has made a decisive difference to God's Son.
Now He is human forever. His life and death have made a decisive differ-
ence to us. What He has wrought out for us needs now to be applied within
us. The Spirit does not add to what Christ has done any more than a mailman
adds to the letter he delivers. There still is only one name "given among
men whereby we must be saved," and that is Jesus (Acts 4:12). It still is true
about Jesus, that " 'no one comes to the Father except through me' " (John
14:6, NIV). The Spirit does not apply Christ's work to people on earth—He
brings Christ Himself to make the application.
What part does the Holy Spirit have in interceding for us before the
throne of God? How does this indicate His love for us? Rom. 8:26, 27.
IV. THE SPIRIT'S WORK IN US.
John 14, 15, and 16 record Christ's description of the work of the Holy
Spirit. He is called the Spirit of truth (chap. 14:17), who will be sent in
Jesus' name (verse 26) to dwell with and in the disciples (verse 17).
ILLUMINATION:
"During the patriarchal age the influence of the Holy
Spirit had often been revealed in a marked manner, but never in its fullness.
"The Spirit came [at Pentecost] upon the waiting praying disciples with a
fullness that reached every heart. The Infinite One revealed Himself in
power to His church. It was as if for ages His influence had been held in
restraint, and now Heaven rejoiced in being able to pour out upon the church
the riches of the Spirit's grace.
"—The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 37, 38.
When John the Baptist pointed forward to Jesus' ministry what did
He predict about Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Matt. 3:11.
Not until Jesus won back the world from the hands of the usurper by His
death, could He pour out the Spirit upon that recovered world. In fact, the
acceptance of His sacrifice also was a prerequisite. John states, "Up to that
time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified"
(John 7:39, NIV). This would take place after His ascension. Yet, already,
37
WED
during the forty post-resurrection days, He breathed the Spirit on them. (See
John 20:22). He could not wait. But not until Pentecost, fifty days after
Calvary, did the fullness come. Then the new age burst forth with all the
power of the Spirit's presence. "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a
wind came from Heaven and filled the whole house where they [the disci-
ples] were sitting. . . . All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts
2:2, 4.)
How extensive is the Spirit's ministry for us today?
The Holy Spirit is involved in every part of our Christian experience.
When we come to God it is because the Spirit has been working on our
hearts to give us the desire to learn about God and to live as God wishes us to
live. When we want to learn more about God through the Bible and ask for
understanding, then the Holy Spirit guides us to the texts we should study,
helps us gain a clear understanding through our study and through divine
impressions of what the texts mean, and helps us apply to our lives what we
have read. He then gives us strength to live the truths we have learned.
When we feel sorry for our sins and repent it is because the Holy Spirit has
been working. Whatever we understand about God and Jesus, we under-
stand more fully because the Holy Spirit, in a gentle, self-effacing way, has
been doing the work that He was commissioned to do for each person.
What is the result of the Spirit's ministry in our lives? Gal. 5:22-25.
What greater blessing can we expect in the near future when we yield
our hearts completely to the work of the Holy Spirit? Joel 2:23, 28.
V. THE SPIRIT'S WORK THROUGH US.
Just before Jesus ascended what instructions did He give His disci-
ples? What were they commissioned to do once they received the prom-
ised power of the Holy Spirit? Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8.
Besides working with Christ's disciples, enabling them to fulfill their
commission, the Holy Spirit would be present among the unconverted, re-
proving them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8).
Spiritual Gifts.
The Holy Spirit also strengthens the church and individ-
uals through spiritual gifts, some of which are spectacular in nature, while
others are less dramatic but equally essential. Several of the gifts of the
Spirit are mentioned in Ephesians 4:11: "And he gave some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."
(See also Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28-31; 13:1-3.)
Are spiritual gifts given only to benefit individuals? If not, then what
is the broader purpose of the gifts? Eph. 4:12, 13.
38
What is the greatest gift? 1 Cor. 13:13.
THINK IT THROUGH: What is the major purpose of this greatest
spiritual gift? What are some practical ways in which I can exercise it?
Jesus offered Himself "through the eternal Spirit" at Calvary (Heb. 9:14,
15). Christ and the Spirit were together in this work. From birth to death the
two worked together. Jesus was dependent upon the Spirit to enable Him to
function fully as a man while at the same time retaining His divine integrity.
His dependent humanity necessitated this. At Pentecost the risen Christ con-
tinued to be dependent upon the Spirit; no longer dependent for
power
but
dependent for
presence.
The Spirit brings Christ to willing people every-
where.
How does the Holy Spirit join in the work of Christ portrayed in
Revelation 22:17?
Mentioned in both the first few and last few verses of the Bible, the Holy
Spirit has been active in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. As Jesus'
personal representative, He does for people whatever Jesus would do if He
Himself were physically present.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Study carefully the following
passages to gain deeper insight into why we must have the Holy Spirit with
us and in us: John 3:1-8; Rom. 8:1-16.
Read the chapter entitled, "The Gift of the Spirit" in
The Acts of the
Apostles,
pp. 47-55, and the chapter entitled, "Nicodemus" in
The Desire
of Ages,
pp. 167-177.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
To the adherents of many religious organiza-
tions today, the nature and work of the Holy Spirit are obscure. The contem-
porary emphasis among charismatics focuses on the Holy Spirit's works,
especially the gift of tongues. It is important to consider the Person of the
Holy Spirit along with His works, for who He is checks overemphasis on
His gifts. The Spirit always is more important than His gifts, because He is
the source of them. He dwells within us so that He might use us, not so that
we might use Him.
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
Discover what the
person to whom you are witnessing believes about the Holy Spirit.
Charismatics need to be shown with love and kindness the error of believing
that a person is not a first-class Christian unless he speaks in tongues. Point
out that Peter, the speaker at Pentecost, never once refers to speaking in
tongues after the experience related in Acts 2. In only three of Paul's one
hundred chapters is the subject mentioned (see 1 Cor. 12-14) and certainly
not in support of the phenomenon current in Corinth. He warns against the
same problem faced by modern charismatics. Paul teaches that all gifts are
39
given for the benefit of the church as a whole, not merely to benefit the
individual. No one person has every gift. (See 1 Cor. 12:27-31.) Paul de-
clares that he would rather speak five words with understanding than ten
thousand words in an unknown tongue. (See 1 Cor. 14:19.).
SUMMARY:
Please summarize this lesson in your own words:
APPLICATION
Am I walking after the flesh or after the Spirit?
Do I pray earnestly daily for the power of the Spirit to possess my
life and to use me in God's work?
What Happened to Our
Bible Book Studies?
The Bible book curriculum has been in-
terrupted in order to make it possible
for the world church to review the
27
fundamental beliefs of Seventh-day
Adventists. We resume our study of the
Bible books beginning with the first
quarter of
1989.
40
God TellOs Us
glow He Created
MEMORY TEXT: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens
made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." "For
he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast"
(Psalm 33:6, 9).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "Creation.
God is Creator of all things, and has
revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His creative activity. In six
days the Lord made 'the heaven and the earth' and all living things upon the
earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He established
the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work. The
first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work
of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility
to care for it. When the world was finished it was 'very good,' declaring the
glory of God. "—Fundamental Belief No. 6.
OUTLINE:
I.
The Entire Bible Teaches Special Creation.
II.
Creation in Six Days.
III.
The Crowning Act of Creation.
IV.
The Sabbath Testifies to Creation.
V.
The Greatest Evidence for Special Creation.
INTRODUCTION:
Science is at its best when it deals with things that are
happening right now, or at least can be made to happen now. But when we
get into the area of the origin of matter and life, we go beyond the limits of
the scientific method. Even if a scientist were able to produce a three-toed
dinosaur out of primordial soup, he still would not have proved conclusively
that this was the way dinosaurs initially came into being.
In the long run the choice between which theory of origins we accept boils
down to the question of basic assumptions. Here creationists have the ad-
vantage. The Bible record of the creation of life comes from the Creator
Himself. He
was
there. He made it happen.
"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of
God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
appear" (Heb. 11:3). Because it is impossible to prove scientifically how
and when the earth originated, it is "through faith" that we discern the hand
of God in Creation.
I. THE ENTIRE BIBLE TEACHES SPECIAL CREATION.
The book of Genesis begins with a brief survey of God's special creation.
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PM
Who is the subject of the first statement in the Bible? Gen. 1:1.
The triune Godhead worked together to create the heaven and the earth.
The Holy Spirit's part is, indicated in verse 2, and the participation of all
three members of the Godhead is implied in verse 26.
SEARCH AND LEARN: Psalm 33:6, 9 mentions God speaking the
world into existence. What does the New Testament indicate about
which member of the Godhead spoke the worlds into existence?
John 1:1-3
1 Cor 8
.
6
Col. 1:13-17
Heb. 1:1, 2, 8-10
(See also
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 269, 270.)
How did the psalmists testify to the truth of the Bible record of Spe-
cial Creation? Psalms 8:3, 4; 136:5-9; 148:4, 5.
Isaiah joins the ranks of those who testify to the accuracy of the Creation
record when he speaks of "the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the
heavens" (Isa. 51:13). Jeremiah adds, "He hath made the earth by his
power" (Jer. 10:12). Amos tells us that the Lord formed the mountains and
created the winds. (See Amos 4:13.) Malachi concludes the Old Testament
witness to the Genesis account by asking, "Hath not one God created us?"
(Mal. 2:10).
What did Jesus say that fully supports the Genesis record? Matt.
19:4.
The earth is a minute portion of God's creation. "For by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible" (Col. 1:16). The author of Hebrews states that "he made the
worlds" (Heb. 1:2). Whether these other worlds are inhabited is not stated
specifically in the Scriptures, but it is implied in the gathering of the "sons
of God" in Job 1 and in the Biblical concept of vindicating God's rule and
justice before the universe in the judgment (Daniel 7). It is difficult to be-
lieve that ours is the only inhabited planet in God's great universe. Even
evolutionary scientists speculate that intelligent life exists on other planets.
II. CREATION IN SIX DAYS.
In spite of attempts to harmonize the Creation record in Genesis with
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OINCORaGd
How
August
belief in long ages during which creation came about progressively, only the
acceptance of Genesis 1 as an outline of what actually took place during six
24-hour days can harmonize with the full Bible account.
NOTICE how the chart that follows outlines a basic plan for Creation.
The first three days gave "form" to Creation and the last three days
gave "fullness" to the "form."
Genesis 1.2—GOD CREATED
Formed
Elements
Filled
Day 1
(verses 3-5)
Divided light from
darkness
LIGHT
Day 4
(verses 14-19
Light sources seen
in the firmament
Day 2
(verses 6-8)
Made firmament
then divided
waters from the
waters
FIRMAMENT
WATER
Day 5
(verses 20-23)
Fowl in firmament
Water creatures in sea
Day 3
(verses 9-13)
Divided waters
from land
Vegetation created
EARTH
VEGETATION
Day 6
(verses 24-31)
Animals, man on
earth
Vegetation for
food
Day 7—GOD RESTED (Gen. 2:1-3)
At the beginning of Creation week the earth was empty, without
form, covered with water, and enshrouded in darkness. What was its
condition at the end of the first three days? (Review the center column.)
What happened "in the firmament" on the fourth day of Creation
week? What was the significance of what took place?
Gen. 1:14-19.
Because the Bible implies the existence of other worlds (see Heb. 1:2;
11:3), it is not unreasonable to assume that some of the stars referred to in
Genesis 1:16 (and that could include our own sun) existed before the cre-
ation of this world. However, speculation on this could obscure Moses' pri-
mary thrust in the Creation record, namely, that God also created the light-
giving bodies.
Summarize the creative act of the fifth day of Creation week. Gen.
1:20-23.
43
The blessing "Be fruitful, and multiply" was realized as the earth began
to be filled. The genealogies and the nations are ample evidence of the ful-
fillment of God's benediction.
What three categories of land animals were created on the sixth day
before God's crowning act of Creation? Gen. 1:24, 25.
What is important to note here is that these verses contradict in a most
decided way the concept that there was a long evolutionary development
which many geologists claim they find in the fossil record. Notice that they
were brought forth simultaneously at the command of God. Also notice that
the order of listing places insects last rather than before amphibians, rep-
tiles, and mammals as the evolutionary hypothesis insists.
What is significant about the statement in verse 25 that "God saw
that it was good"?
Evolution is based on the concept of the survival of the fittest and the law
of tooth, fang, and claw. But there were no predators and there was no
killing in Eden before the Fall. At this point Earth was ready for humankind
to be created. It did not take billions of years before God crowned Creation
by calling forth the human race.
III. THE CROWNING ACT OF CREATION.
The first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, were made in the image
of God as the crowning work of Creation. (See Gen. 1:26, 27.) They were
given dominion over the world and charged with the responsibility to care
for it. (See verses 28-30.) When the work of Creation was finished, God
declared that it was "very good" (verse 31).
What do the words
our image
and
our likeness
indicate? Gen. 1:26,
27; James 3:9.
ILLUMINATION:
"Created to be 'the image and glory of God' (1 Corin-
thians 11:7), Adam and Eve had received endowments not unworthy of their
high destiny. Graceful and symmetrical in form, regular and beautiful in
feature, their countenances glowing with the tint of health and the light of
joy and hope, they bore in outward resemblance the likeness of their Maker.
Nor was this likeness manifest in the physical nature only. Every faculty of
mind and soul reflected the Creator's glory
"—Education,
p. 20.
God created Adam and Eve in His own image with the capability of en-
joying fellowship with Him. When the obedience and allegiance that belong
to the Creator alone were yielded to Satan in Eden, the harmonious relation-
ship between God and humans was broken.
44
TRUE
Ca
Lesson
"!?
Au.ust
V. THE GREATEST EVIDENCE FOR SPECIAL CREATION.
Among the strongest evidences for the belief that there is a Creator is the
harmony that scientists have discovered to be operating in the universe and
the tremendous complexity of life itself. Logic and reason protest against the
possibility that a complex organism such as the human body with its large
number of intricately related systems and functions could have come into
existence through the working of blind chance. The concept of evolution
proposes that all complex forms of life developed from simple living cells.
Although this idea is accepted almost universally today, it has not been and
cannot be scientifically demonstrated or established. It takes a much smaller
leap of faith to believe the Bible story of Creation than to believe the origin
of life as outlined by evolution.
But an even more telling reason for accepting the Bible teaching on ori-
gins is the principle of love and benevolence wrapped up in the Special
Creation story. The God of love not only created and sustains, but also re-
creates sinners in His own image when they accept His sacrifice for them.
(See Col. 1:17; John 3:14-17.)
What is the Creator able to do for us today that demonstrates Cre-
ation power still is at work in our world? Rom. 8:11-16; 1 John 3:1, 2.
If we owed our origin to primordial ooze or an impossible accident of
nature, then we would not need a Saviour. There is no basic compatibility
between evolution, which assumes that humanity is getting better and better,
and our Lord's command that we must be born again. Dr. Dan Gilbert used
to tell audiences about the atheist's club he joined while he was in college.
Its motto was: "Sons of apes don't need a Saviour." The evolutionary hy-
pothesis is irreconcilable with the Bible account of Creation, Fall, and salva-
tion through Christ.
Where is the era of evolutionary science leading? Many believe it will end
in environmental or nuclear destruction of the earth.
How will the Genesis story of creation finally end for those who love
the One who sacrificed Himself on Calvary? 2 Peter 3:13, 14; Rev. 21:
3-5.
When it comes to deciding on concepts of origin, we need to keep the
future in mind. When we do we will see that there is no contest. There is a
heaven to win. Our future well-being rests in the hands of our loving Cre-
ator.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Read the chapter entitled
"The Creation" in
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 44-51. Using a concor-
dance, search out the texts using the word "Creation" and "Creator."
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
Few of the world's inhabitants believe the
Creation story as outlined in Scripture. Most of the world's leading thinkers
and scientists, even Christian thinkers, hold to some sort of evolutionary
46
tifal
1.
Gen. 3:19, 22
2.
Psalm 51
.
5
3.
Psalm 58
.
3
4.
Rom. 5:12-19
5.
Rom. 7:15-23
6.
Eph. 2:1-5
A number of truths regarding the nature of fallen humanity are contained
in these and other similar passages of Scripture:
o
Life for every fallen human being is confined to a limited period of
time. During that time there will be gradual physical and mental deteriora-
tion.
o
From the moment of conception each individual is a new soul in need of
a Saviour. This does not mean that anyone is born guilty. It simply means
that human beings inherit a spiritually fallen nature.
o
In the absence of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, the life of
each individual will be controlled by Satan. There is no neutral territory in
the great controversy between Christ and Satan. Fallen human nature is a
fruitful field for the evil one to work. People who have not been transformed
by the Spirit of God are instruments of unrighteousness. (See Rom. 6:13.)
ILLUMINATION:
"The result of the eating of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil is manifest in every man's experience. There is in his nature a
bent to evil, a force which, unaided, he cannot resist. To withstand this
force, to attain that ideal which in his inmost soul he accepts as alone wor-
thy, he can find help in but one power. That power is Christ.
"—Education,
p. 29.
How does the Bible describe the condition of the fallen human being
who has chosen to go on living in sin? Eph. 2:12; Psalm. 66:18; Isa.
64:7.
The Epistle of Jude and 2 Peter 2 give a vivid description of people who
have allowed Satan to use their fallen humanity to accomplish his demonic
designs. They are like "natural brute beasts." They "speak evil of the
things that they understand not" (2 Peter 2:12)'. They "count it pleasure to
riot in the day time. . . . Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease
from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covet-
ous practices; cursed children" (verses 13, 14). Satan really makes sport of
those who give in to their fallen natures.
ILLUMINATION:
"Every soul that refuses to give himself to God is un-
der the control of another power. He is not his own. He may talk of freedom,
but he is in the most abject slavery. He is not allowed to see the beauty of
truth, for his mind is under the control of Satan. While he flatters himself
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that he is following the dictates of his own judgment, he obeys the will of the
prince of darkness. Christ came to break the shackles of sin-slavery from the
soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 466.
IV. HOW CHRIST CHANGES HUMAN NATURE.
The best news for humanity in every era of history has been that, because
of His death on the cross, Jesus Christ is able to deliver from the bondage of
sin and create transformed natures.
How complete is the transformation that Jesus produces in the life of
one who accepts Him? 2 Cor. 5:17, 21; Rom. 6:17, 18, 22.
The Lord's plan is that the old life of sinning should be replaced by a life
of commitment to His righteousness. This can happen only if the mind and
heart of the individual are purified. Only Christ can accomplish this. Educa-
tion, culture, the force of the human will may play a part. But, in the final
analysis, only when Christ transforms the heart is there possibility of con-
tinuing, joyful obedience to the will of God. (See
Steps to Christ,
p. 18.)
Then habits and practices that once were part of an individual's lifestyle are
given up because they are not consistent with the will of Christ.
By what means does Jesus bring about the change in an individual's
nature? 1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:5-7.
Jesus' message to Nicodemus applies here: "Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. . . . Ye must be born
again" (John 3:3-7). The work of the Holy Spirit on mind and heart pro-
duces a new creature in Christ Jesus.
What is a person like after being transformed by Christ? 1 John 4:7,
8, 11, 20, 21.
Christ's transforming work by the Holy Spirit changes bitter, prejudiced,
dishonest, immoral sinners into loving and lovable Christians. This is the
solution to the problems in homes, in society, in the nation, and between
nations. Christ's love received into the heart by the Holy Spirit is the only
effective answer to the great need of our world.
What kind of continual struggle does the transformed individual
have? 1 Cor. 9:27; Gal. 5:16-18.
Born-again Christians are not free from temptation. They remain fallen
human beings, whom the devil constantly tries to persuade to capitulate to
their human tendencies. Insofar as they constantly yield themselves to the
power of Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to control their thoughts, feelings,
52
THU
and desires, they have victory through His power. (See 1 John 5:3-5.)
ILLUMINATION:
"The Christian's life is not a modification or improve-
ment of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and
sin, and new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the
effectual working of the Holy Spirit."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 172. (See
also p. 176.)
"Paul's sanctification was a constant conflict with self. Said he:
die
daily.' His will and his desires every day conflicted with duty and the will of
God. Instead of following inclination, he did the will of God, however un-
pleasant and crucifying to his
nature."—Testimonies,
vol. 4, p. 299.
V. GLORIFIED HUMAN NATURE.
When will human nature finally be free from the results of sin? 1 Cor.
15:21-23, 42-49; Rom. 8:19-23.
Only when Jesus comes will the effects of sin be removed completely
from our bodies and minds. Victory over sin is God's ideal and expectation
for His children now. (See Rev. 2:7, 17, 26; 3:21;
Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 312.) But freedom from the disadvantages of fallen humanity and from
temptation to sin will not be a reality until at Jesus' coming this
"corruptible" puts on "incorruption," and this "mortal" puts on
"immortality." (See 1 Cor. 15:51-54.)
What kind of bodies and minds will be given the redeemed at Jesus'
second advent? Phil. 3:20, 21; Isa. 33:24; Rev. 21:3-5.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Study what Paul means by
"the new man" and "the old man." Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:1-10.
What happens when the "old man" dies? Who is the new man? Compare
Romans 7:1-6. Look at the texts in various translations.
Read the chapter entitled "The Temptation and Fall" in
Patriarchs and
Prophets,
pp. 52-62;
The Great Controversy,
p. 677.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
In contemporary society there is general rejec-
tion of the concept of the fallen nature of man. The idea that happiness and
success may be achieved by developing the goodness within ourselves is
popularly promoted in sermons and seminars. Self-dependence reduces a
person's awareness of his need of the Saviour, and he becomes divorced
from the source of his power.
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
Important though it
is to convince a person that he or she inherited fallen nature from our first
parents, it is more important to uphold Christ as the One who can bring
transformation and victory. A teaspoon of sugar attracts more bees
than a barrel of vinegar. The vision of Christ suffering upon the cross for
53
human sin provides the greatest insight into the human condition and the
need of His love.
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists believe that God created humanity
spiritually, mentally, and physically perfect. The imperfection now so prev-
alent in the human race resulted from the choice of our first parents to dis-
obey God, and the choices of their descendants to persist in sin. Since then
all humanity has suffered the effects of sin and death. By His death on the
cross, Jesus Christ earned the right to transform fallen human beings making
them new creatures who have victory over sin, and in whose hearts His love
reigns.
APPLICATION
o Am I willing to admit to myself that I inherited a fallen, sinful hu-
man nature from my first parents, Adam and Eve?
Do I really believe that Christ can make me a new creature who has
victory over sin and grace to work for others?
The Caring Church
"Good deeds are the fruit that Christ re-
quires us to bear. Kind words, deeds of be-
nevolence, of tender regard for the poor,
the needy, the afflicted. When hearts sym-
pathize with hearts burdened with dis-
couragement and grief, when the hand
dispenses to the needy, when the naked
are clothed, the stranger made welcome to
his seat in your parlor and a place in your
home, angels are coming very near and an
answering strain is responded to in
heaven."—Welfare Ministry, p. 35.
54
God Gives Us
A Wogild View
MEMORY TEXT: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and
his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and
his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any
more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old ser-
pent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole
world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out
with him" (Rev. 12:7-9).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Great Controversy.
All humanity is now
involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the char-
acter of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict
originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of
choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebel-
lion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this
world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the
distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created
world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Ob-
served by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal
conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To
assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the
loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation."—
Fundamental Belief No. 8.
OUTLINE:
I.
Where Sin Began.
II.
The Cosmic Conflict Extended to Earth.
HI. The Bible's Cosmic World View.
IV.
Why Did Jesus Come?
V.
The Cosmic Issue.
INTRODUCTION:
Why do rosebuds exist side by side with thorns? Why
do animals kill and eat one another? Why do people in some parts of the
world have too much food while people in other parts are starving? Why
does an innocent child die in an automobile accident while the guilty,
drunken driver escapes unharmed?
These questions have been asked in a variety of forms ever since man
sinned. Philosophers have offered a variety of answers. Atheists, who hold
that the world and all forms of life started by chance, suggest that good and
evil are in a kind of "survival of the fittest" competition; eventually only
one will survive. Others have suggested that at least two gods govern the
world; one is good, the other evil. But such answers are inadequate. The
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13
UZI
SUN
question of what our world is all about and why it is blighted with evil
basically comes down to the question of our world view.
I. WHERE SIN BEGAN.
The true world view is found only in the Bible. According to the Holy
Scriptures, many thousands of years ago, before this world was created, evil
originated mysteriously in the heart of Lucifer, the most exalted of the an-
gels in heaven. The fault was not God's, for Lucifer was created perfect.
(See Eze. 28:15.)
Why was Lucifer dissatisfied with his status? Isa. 14:12-14.
Lucifer permitted envious thoughts to control him. He should have recog-
nized that as a created being he had no right to the respect and worship
accorded deity. Instead he harbored evil thoughts, even confiding them to
his angel companions. He asked questions designed to sow seeds of dissatis-
faction.
"Don't you think that heaven is too tightly structured? I don't see why
holy beings need laws. I don't think God loves us as He claims; He gets
satisfaction out of issuing commands. He's unjust and unfair."
These kinds of suggestions continued until one third of the angels were
committed to Lucifer. Misled by his siren song, they felt that he could set up
a government superior to God's. With infinite patience God attempted to
explain His actions—to persuade Lucifer and his sympathizers to abandon
the disastrous course they were following. He attempted to make clear that
heaven's laws, grounded in love, were essential to happiness. But Lucifer
and his fellow rebels refused to accept God's explanations or to respond to
His entreaties.
God did not at once destroy Lucifer and his followers. He gave them time
and opportunity to show whether their charges against His character and law
were justified.
What strange event then took place in heaven? What happened to
Lucifer (now called Satan) and the angels who took his side? Rev. 12:
7-9.
II. THE COSMIC CONFLICT EXTENDED TO EARTH.
On earth, God created the first human pair, Adam and Eve, and placed
them in the Garden of Eden.
What simple test of character did God set up through which Adam
and Eve could demonstrate their loyalty to Him? Gen. 2:16, 17.
GOd warned that disobedience would bring death. Satan saw this as an
opportunity to tempt the first humans to eat the forbidden fruit and join him
56
him, short of taking his life. The remainder of the book of Job gives insight
into human history from the larger view of what is happening throughout
God's universe.
Since Adam and Eve yielded to Satan's temptations, sin has characterized
what has been going on in the world. Sin involves a broken relationship
between created beings and God as well as transgression of God's laws.
Satan broke faith with God. So did Adam and Eve when they ignored God's
command not to eat of the fruit in Eden. (See Gen. 3:3-6.) The plan of
salvation outlined in the Bible restores the broken relationship between God
and humanity, leading instead to the happiness that comes from obedience
to the laws of the universe. When we truly love God we will love to do what
He knows is best. " 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments,' "
Jesus says in John 14:15, RSV. At the close of the cosmic controversy all
humans will admit, "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Al-
mighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. . . . For you alone are
holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts
have been revealed" (Rev. 15:3, 4, NIV).
In• a lawless age like ours—a time when absolutes are being thrown to the
winds, when divorce gives license to sin, and when both international and
personal agreements lie shattered in shreds—it is time to look beyond our
desperate, feeble world to a God who loves the unfallen universe, yet left it,
to save this one prodigal planet.
IV. WHY DID JESUS COME?
What did Jesus give up and what did He gain by coming to the world
and dying for us? Phil. 2:5-11.
The basic question answered by the Bible world view is "Why did Jesus
come to this planet?" Seventh-day Adventists believe that the cross of Jesus
has universal, as well as local planet, significance. Jesus came to live and
die for more than our salvation. Much more was at stake. He came to answer
a charge against the justice of God that preceded our human need for salva-
tion. Even before the creation of this world, Satan's rebellion took place.
After the creation of this world, Satan claimed that it is impossible for cre-
ated beings to keep God's law. This is one of the main reasons why the
member of the Godhead we know as Jesus became a human being. Jesus
demonstrated that human beings
can
keep the law of God.
How was Satan's charge proved to be wrong? Rom. 5:17-21.
In order to demonstrate the possibility of living a sin-free life, Jesus had to
live as a human being on earth, and not as a God. Satan had no quarrel with
the fact that God could keep His own law. He focused on created beings.
Jesus lived as a man, having emptied Himself of the use of His divine pow-
ers while here on earth, yet remaining divine. (See Phil. 2:5-7.) He was fully
God on earth, but lived as a dependent human, clinging to His Father. This
is why He called Himself the "true vine" (John 15:1). Out of human neces-
sity He prayed to His Father.
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Verses 7-9
Verses 10-12
Verses 13-16
From the information given in verse 17 identify the"remnant" and indi-
cate why this understanding is significant today.
The Bible helps us look beyond the here and now in order to understand
that we are caught in the middle of the great controversy between Christ and
Satan. It helps us see that we are in the midst of a war that reaches back
beyond human time—that reaches out from Planet Earth to the entire cos-
mos. We are soldiers in the greatest war ever fought. We are actors in the
greatest drama ever played. Our earth truly is the battle zone and theater of
the universe.
Satan's studied strategy in this great war is to make God look bad. He
hopes that by heaping upon us pain, violence, disease, and death, he can
goad us into blaming God for our troubles—into giving God the credit for
Satan's diabolical doings. But for every lie Satan tells about God, Christ
responds with an even clearer revelation of God's love. Lies and love—the
contrasting weapons of the two adversaries in the war of the ages.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
Study Romans 1:19-32; Gen-
esis 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Corinthians 4:9; Hebrews 1:14. Read the chapter in
Patriarchs and Prophets
entitled "Why Was Sin Permitted?," pp. 33-43.
Read also
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 19, 20.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
Some modern theologians are bound to human
theories. They look at Jesus as merely a superman. They do not consider
Him to be divine. They seek the truth as it might be found in humanity. The
search for truth must begin in Jesus, if it is to be Christian, because the place
we begin determines largely the end result.
Some thinkers call on people to look within themselves for truth rather
than to look within the Bible. They suggest that if we feel absolute depend-
ence upon God there must indeed be a God. To these thinkers truth is only
truth if it can be felt by human beings. Such a starting point leaves us shut up
in ourselves, cut off from divine revelation.
Other theologians have revolted against this human-centered emphasis
with the cry, "Let God be God and man be man!" They emphasize the great
distinction between God and man. But they do not go far enough. In fact
they deny those Biblical facts that would enable them to break through to a
true cosmic world view. They dismiss the Bible teaching of a cosmic con-
flict that involved Satan and the fallen angels in controversy with Christ.
What these kinds of world view overlook is how to handle adequately the
problem of where sin came from, why God allows it, and what He plans to
do about it.
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
As you witness to
others about our faith, the great controversy theme will inevitably come up
60
Give the World a Hug
This Quarter
Jesus said,
"Love one
another as I have
loved
you." His love
reached everyone. So
does He expect you to
love like that? The
gospel commission
implies that your lov-
ing isn't done until it
encompasses the
world. And you best
express that kind of
love by giving.*
Remember the Weekly Mission Offering
* Your weekly Sabbath School Offerings support the World Mission Budget of the
church.
APPLICATION
Am I sure that I know where I stand in the great controversy?
Do I sense what Calvary means to God and the universe?
What will I do this week to put into practice what I have learned?
for discussion. For instance, when you explain the sanctuary system you can
show how the entire controversy is enacted in types as found in the Old
Testament. It is impossible to cover the entire great controversy theme as a
single unit of study. The entire plan of salvation incorporates this theme.
The focal point of the great controversy is the sin problem, which centers
upon the importance of God's law—His character. The basic issue in the
controversy revolves around Satan's attempt to do away with God's law and
overthrow His government. This controversy reached its peak at Calvary.
That is why Christ must be the focal point of your witness to others. (See
Eph. 4:21; John 14:6.)
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists have a cosmic world view of the
great controversy that brought Christ on His costly but successful mission to
Planet Earth. The sin problem involves Satan's rebellion, his charge that
God made a law that created beings cannot keep, and Christ's coming to
earth—in human form— to demonstrate that the law can be lived. The truth
as it is in Jesus is broader than many Christians realize. In the same way that
science broke beyond the confines of restricting world views, theology
needs to advance beyond a humanity-centered, planet-centered world view.
61
I. CHRIST'S PERFECT LIFE.
Jesus Christ was divine as well as human,
power to enable Him to overcome sin. By
Father, as we may depend upon Him, Jesus
free from sin.
but never did he use His divine
depending upon His heavenly
was able to live a life entirely
SUN
SEARCH AND LEARN: Note what the
garding Christ's character:
1.
John 8:45, 46
2.
2 Cor. 5:21
3.
Heb. 4:15
4.
Heb. 7:26
5.
1 Peter 1:19
6.
1 Peter 2:22, 23
In the symbolic sanctuary services of ancient Israel, the sinner was to bring
an animal sacrifice that was "without blemish." (See Ex. 12:5; 29:1; Lev.
1:3,10; 22:21.) Every animal sacrificed represented Christ, "the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The animal sacrificed by
the repentant Israelite was to be "without blemish," or "perfect," because it
symbolized the spiritual perfection of Jesus Christ. Peter likened Christ to the
"lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:19).
Jesus is the only human person who has ever lived a sinless life. His life
was acceptable to His Father, and His death a perfect sacrifice for sin be-
cause "he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth" (Isa.
53:9).
How may we copy the life of Jesus? Rom. 8:3, 4; Phil. 2:5-8; 2 Cor.
3:18; 2 Peter 1:3, 4.
Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers in Christ may
overcome as He overcame. It is a law of the mind that it adapts to what it
focuses on consistently.
Let the mind focus on impurity, and it becomes impure. Let it focus on
the lovely Jesus, and it becomes like Him. As Jesus' character was entirely
without falsehood (see 1 Peter 2:22), so will be the characters of true believ-
ers living on the earth when Jesus comes. (See Rev. 14:4, 5.)
ILLUMINATION:
"None need fail of attaining, in his sphere, to perfec-
tion of Christian character. By the sacrifice of Christ, provision has been
made for the believer to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness.
God calls upon us to reach the standard of perfection and places before us
63
following passages teach re-
the example of Christ's character. In His humanity, perfected by a life of
constant resistance of evil, the Saviour showed that through cooperation
with Divinity, human beings may in this life attain to perfection of charac-
ter. This is God's assurance to us that we, too, may obtain complete
victory.
"—Acts of the Apostles,
p. 531.
"He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that He can keep him
from sinning, has not the faith that will give him an entrance into the king-
dom of God.
"—Review and Herald,
March 10, 1904, p. 24.
H. CHRIST'S PERFECT SACRIFICE.
How many times was it necessary for Christ to die for human sin?
What does that tell us about the effectiveness of His sacrifice? Heb.
7:27; 9:26, 28; 10:10-12.
Animal sacrifices were offered constantly, year by year, in the Israelite
temple, but never was sin atoned for. (See Heb. 10:1-4.) The Lord accepted
these sacrifices as acts of faith on the part of His people. Their sins were
forgiven and their lives spiritually purified in view of what the Messiah
would do for them. It was not until Jesus Christ died on the cross that a real
atonement was provided for all sin. (See Heb. 10:5-10.) His death provided
"redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament"
(Heb. 9:15). Old Testament believers will be saved for eternity, not because
animal sacrifices atoned for their sins, but because the death of the Messiah
was the object of the faith expressed in their sacrifices.
For the guilt of how many did Jesus die? How many can come to Him
for cleansing? 1 John 2:2; Rom. 10:12; Rev. 22:17.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the following passages teach regard-
ing the real cause of Christ's suffering on the cross?
1.
Isa. 53:5, 6, 8, 10
2.
Mark 15:34
3.
1 John 3
.
5
4.
1 Peter 2:24
Because Jesus was bearing the guilt of humanity, He was separated from
His Father. God the Son was separated from God the Father and God the
Holy Spirit. This is why on the cross Jesus cried out, "My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46). Jesus' separation from His
Father caused suffering for the Deity that humans cannot begin to under-
stand. The sacrifice was entirely sufficient to atone for all sin, no matter how
long time may last, because it was the infinite suffering of God.
64
by the Israelite priest after the sin-offering had been slain? Heb. 10:16-
22; 9:11-14.
Jesus' heavenly High-Priestly ministry, which began after His sacrifice
and ascension, is the reality to which the daily ministration of the earthly
priests pointed. After the sacrifice came priestly application of blood and
sanctuary ministry. After Jesus' death and resurrection He presented in
heaven the merits of His sacrifice for repenting, confessing sinners. Because
of His heavenly ministry, sinners are forgiven and cleansed. Without that
ministry, there could be no assurance of forgiveness.
The sacrifice at the cross was vital to our salvation. Jesus' intercession for
us in the heavenly sanctuary also is essential. The cross provided a full and
complete sacrificial atonement. But "atonement" in the Leviticus sense re-
quires priestly ministry after the sacrifice was made. Jesus provides this
ministry in heaven as He forgives sin and cleanses sinners.
ILLUMINATION:
"The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanc-
tuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the
cross. By His death He began that work which after His resurrection He
ascended to complete in heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil,
`whither the forerunner is for us entered.' Hebrews 6:20. There the light
from the cross of Calvary is reflected."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 489.
What happens to the guilt of the sinner whose sins are forgiven by
virtue of Calvary? 1 John 4:10; Rom. 8:1, 34; Micah 7:19.
ILLUMINATION:
"The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of
sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. But the Sinless
One has taken our place. 'The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.'
Isa. 53:6. He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from
our weary shoulders. He will give us rest."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 328,
329. (If you have
Selected Messages,
see bk. 1, pp. 392, 393.)
V. CHRIST IN THE BELIEVER'S HEART.
The life, death, resurrection, and heavenly intercession of Jesus Christ
have saving value only when He is received into the life by faith. The Chris-
tian life is a relationship with Jesus. To know what the Bible teaches on
doctrinal questions is vitally important; to know Jesus as an indwelling di-
vine Presence is indispensable.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What do the following Bible passages teach
regarding how Jesus lives within us, and what His presence does for us?
1.
John 14:18, 20
2.
John 17:23
3.
2 Cor. 13
.
5
66
4.
Eph. 3:16-19
5.
Rev. 3:20
What special characteristic will be possessed by those whom Jesus
takes to heaven? Matt. 25:46; 13:43.
How does that special characteristic become ours? Rom. 8:9, 10.
The presence of Christ in our hearts by the Holy Spirit is the qualification
for heaven. If sin controls our minds Jesus cannot live out His life through
us. But if we allow Him to dwell within, controlling our thoughts, our de-
sires, our motives, and our actions, then our lives will reflect the glory of
His character.
W. W. Prescott explained it beautifully: "My own garments are defiled
with sin, and my own righteousness is as filthy rags. He provides for me the
white raiment, that the shame of my nakedness may not appear. At infinite
cost to Himself, but 'without money and without price,' He imparts to me
the riches of heaven, the most precious treasure in the universe, His own
righteousness. This He does by giving Himself to me. He Himself becomes
my righteousness. His righteousness, His life, Himself, are inseparable.
This increases my joyful wonder. He does not divest Himself of what he
bestows upon me. He Himself is the gift. He asks me to give myself to Him
in order that He may give Himself to me.
"The righteousness of Jesus is not a theological creed, but a living experi-
ence. It not only changes my standing with God, but it also determines my
conduct. The gift of His righteousness is not an entry on the credit side of
my ledger account in the books of heaven to balance a troublesome account,
a transaction entirely devoid of any personal touch with me. It has to do with
my inmost being. It purifies the current of my life, and sweetens my think-
ing, my speaking, and my doing. It makes me a new creature in Christ
Jesus."—Victory in Christ,
pp. 21, 22.
FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:
To gain a clearer grasp of
Christ's infinite sacrifice for us read
The Desire of Ages,
chapters 74 and 78
entitled "Gethsemane" and "Calvary." As you read consider the real cause
of Jesus' suffering.
WHAT OTHERS TEACH:
Virtually all conservative Christians believe in
the great significance of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Along
with many other Christian bodies, Seventh-day Adventists believe that these
events are historical facts that are foundational for Christianity. The tend-
ency among liberal scholars to deny the historicity of Christ's atoning death
and resurrection seriously undermines the very basis of the Christian faith.
HOW TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH OTHERS:
The most important
element for success in sharing this message is a personal experience with
Christ. As the early disciples, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus,
67
meditated upon His pure, holy life, "they felt that no toil would be too hard,
no sacrifice too great, if only they could bear witness in their lives to the
loveliness of Christ's character."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 36. (See
also p. 37.)
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus Christ lived a per-
fectly sinless life. Not even by a thought did He yield to the power of temp-
tation. Although He endured much for humanity throughout His lifetime,
Jesus' suffering at the end of life provided a completely sufficient sacrificial
atonement for human sin.
Christ's resurrection from the dead makes possible the spiritual and phys-
ical resurrection of those who believe in Him. As the heavenly Intercessor,
Jesus forgives the sins and cleanses the lives of those who accept Him. By
living in their hearts, He provides the essential qualification for heaven—the
righteousness of God.
APPLICATION
Do I understand the significance for me of Christ's life of perfect
obedience to God's will?
Have I let go my feelings of guilt, because Christ has suffered for it
and forgiven my sins?
Do I have a relationship with Jesus? Is He living in my heart contin-
ually?
Do I purposely pray in my early morning prayers for a fitness to win
souls?
T
here is means
enough in the hands
of believers to amply
sustain the work in all
its departments without embarassing any,
if all would bear their
proportional part."
Testimonies to the Church, vol. 3, p.410.
68
10
God Te110s Us
How to Be Sawed
MEMORY TEXT: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are
become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
CENTRAL TEACHING: "The Experience of Salvation.
In infinite love
and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in
Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we
sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions,
and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example.
This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the
Word and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are justified,
adopted as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin.
Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our
minds, writes God's law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to
live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature
and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment."—Funda-
mental Belief No. 10.
OUTLINE:
I.
Christ Became Sin for Us.
II.
Delivered From the Lordship of Sin.
HI. Born Through the Spirit.
IV.
Delivered From the Power of Sin.
V.
The Assurance of Salvation.
INTRODUCTION:
While God has made full provision for us to be saved,
He does not thrust salvation upon us. His nature is love, and He longs for a
loving response from human beings to His plan of redemption. He has done
His part—"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not im-
puting their trespasses unto them" (2 Cor. 5:19)—but we must accept His
provision. "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor.
5:20).
This lesson deals with the
experience
of salvation. No matter what Christ
has done to provide salvation for the world, none of us can enjoy the benefits
of His salvation until we accept and experience it ourselves.
Charles V, the sixteenth-century Holy Roman Emperor, owed a large
amount of money to a merchant of Antwerp. After it became clear that
Charles was unable to pay, the merchant held a huge banquet to which he
invited the Emperor. During the meal, in the presence of all the guests, the
merchant lit a fire on a platter. Taking from his pocket the promisory note
that recorded Charles' debt, the merchant held it in the fire until it was
69
sae
PM
Lesson
0
0
Se•tember
burned to ashes. Charles was so moved that he threw his arms around his
benefactor and wept.
How foolish it would have been if Charles had not accepted the gift! The
good news is that Christ has paid our debt without any work or action on our
part. He only asks that we reach out by faith and accept it.
I. CHRIST BECAME SIN FOR US.
ANALYZE Romans 5:6-18 by carefully studying the chart that follows.
Fill in the missing blanks.
Verses
Analysis
6-8
Christ died for
9, 10
Justified by His
Reconciled by His
Saved from wrath
through
Saved by His
11-18
By Adam
By Christ
Sin entered
Grace entered
Death resulted
restored
By offense of one
came
By righteousness of
One
came!
19
Disobedience of one
made
Obedience of one
made
Not only does Romans 5 describe the fact that Christ became sin for us but
it also makes clear what His sacrifice accomplished. In response we are
filled with "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have
now received the atonement" (Rom. 5:11).
Recognizing that He alone could pay the price for our salvation, our part
in obtaining it is to accept redemption by reaching out the hand of faith.
Faith itself comes from God. Our Lord must be given total credit for all
phases of salvation.
Faith accepts salvation but does not provide it. What alone can save
us? Eph. 2:8, 9.
Our part is in placing our will on the side of God, in being willing to be
made willing, in allowing the Holy Spirit to woo us back to God. Even in
offering His inestimable gift God honors our freedom of choice. Surrender-
ing to Christ is a work of faith. No work of ours saves us.
70
"made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7). Our guilt
and impurity are taken away. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
What does a dramatic incident in the life of Jesus teach us about the
necessity of faith in spiritual healing? Mark 9:17-27.
III. BORN THROUGH THE SPIRIT.
The Holy Spirit's work for us is not completed when He brings conviction
to our hearts. If we are willing He brings about a new birth.
How did Jesus explain the significance of the new birth in His night-
time conversation with Nicodemus? John 3:3-8.
ILLUMINATION:
"The fountain of the heart must be purified before the
streams can become pure. He who is trying to reach heaven by his own
works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There is no safety
for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness. The Christian's
life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of
nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This
change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy
Spirit."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 172.
What does David's prayer teach us about how to ask for and receive
the new birth? Psalm 51:2, 7, 10-12.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What is "new" in the new birth?
1.
Eze. 36:25-27
2.
2 Cor. 5:17
3.
Heb. 8:7-10
Although the change of heart is a creative work that only the Creator can
achieve, we have a vital part in making the process possible—we must place
ourselves in the channel of the Spirit's creative activity. In other words, by
making ourselves available to behold Christ we come under the creative
presence of the Holy Spirit. Our part is to study the life of Christ. The Holy
Spirit's part is to internalize this study.
What part does the Word of God have in this experience? 1 Peter
1:23.
72
IV. DELIVERED FROM THE POWER OF SIN.
The Holy Spirit dwells in us, giving us power for victory over sin and
temptation. He instructs and guides us in facing daily decisions, and contin-
ually reveals more of God's love and will to us.
What glorious state do we achieve through the work of the Holy
Spirit within us? Rom. 8:1-4.
As long as we walk "after the Spirit" we are free from both the condem-
nation of sin and the law of sin and death. Because Christ "condemned sin
in the flesh" the righteousness of the law will be "fulfilled" ("fully met,"
NIV) in us.
STUDY the chart of Romans 8:2-17 given below, noting the clear con-
trast between those who walk in the flesh and those who walk in the
Spirit.
Verse(s)
In Sinful
Nature
Verse(s)
In Spiritual
Nature
5
Mind things of
flesh
5
Mind things of Spirit
6
Results in death
6
Results in life and
peace
7
Enmity against
God, not subject
to law
9
Spirit of God dwells in
you
8
Cannot please God
14-17
Children of God, joint-
heirs with Christ
15
Spirit of bondage
15
Spirit of adoption
From first to last the experience of salvation is "by grace . . . through
faith" (Eph. 2:8). The way we come to Christ is the way we live in Christ:
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him"
(Col. 2:6). Daily we are to give all and take all—yielding ourselves fully to
God and receiving His new life and righteousness. (See Matt. 16:24.) We
abide in Christ when we unite with Him in a relationship that strengthens
and deepens each day.
What happens when we abide in or are united with Christ? 2 Cor.
3:18.
73
WED
Give some examples of visible churches that contained members who
had lost their spiritual communion with the body of Christ? 1 Cor. 5:1,
11; Gal. 3:1; 2 Peter 2:1.
In every age there have been unfaithful members of the Christian church.
The Bible teaches that we should earnestly and lovingly seek to win them
back to Christ. But in some circumstances, for the good name of Christ and
His church, they are to be asked to relinquish their membership.
What does God ask of His faithful ones who are outside the visible,
organized church? John 10:16; Rev. 18:4.
ILLUMINATION:
"Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation
from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great
body of Christ's true followers are still to be found in their communion. . . .
"Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the
threefold warning of Revelation 14:6-12, the church will have fully reached
the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in
Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion."—The
Great
Controversy,
p. 390.
IV. THE MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF THE CHURCH.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What functions of the church are emphasized
in the following passages?
1.
Matt. 28:19, 20
2.
1 John 1
.
7
3.
Rev. 14
.
7
4.
Acts 17:11
5.
1 Cor. 11:24-26
Only as church members are enjoying close fellowship with Jesus and
with one another can they fulfill their mission for the world. Fellowship,
worship, Bible study, celebration of the Lord's Supper, and the practice of
baptism are all church functions that are vitally important for spiritual life
and growth. A spiritually healthy church will offer unselfish service for the
world. It will have a health ministry conducted by believers who themselves
practice correct principles of health reform; it will have a teaching ministry
for its youth; and it will have a special ministry for the poor. Every church
member has a vital role to play in the task of presenting the gospel.
THINK IT THROUGH: What practical steps can be taken by your lo-
cal church to do Christ's work more effectively?
80
WED
U
"I Didn't
Know
Where
the
Money
Was
Going
So I didn't start a Sabbath
School Investment project.
Then God reminded me that
He would take care of the
money and send the blessings
where they belonged. So I in-
vested my talent for teaching
Hawaiian guitar. That year I
earned $205 for Investment. I
wonder how many I deprived
from hearing the gospel dur-
ing those years I neglected to
get involved!"
Church Member, Citra SDA
Church, Florida
APPLICATION
o
Do I belong to the spiritual fellowship of all true believers in Jesus
Christ?
o
Have I identified myself with that church organization that is follow-
ing most closely the teachings of God's Word?
o
Am I willing to use the talents the Lord has given me in serving my
church and the people of the world around me?
fully they will be impressed with the loving concern of the church members
and will become interested in our message. "The strongest argument in fa-
vor of the Gospel is a loving and lovable Christian."—The
Ministry of Heal-
ing,
p. 470.
SUMMARY:
Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus Christ founded the
Christian church upon Himself. As the Head of the Church, Christ directs
His people through the messages contained in His Word, through the convic-
tion of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, and through the ministry of appointed
spiritual leaders. The church is both a spiritual communion of all true believ-
ers in Christ and a visible organization in which leaders and people cooper-
ate in carrying out Christ's great commission.
82
B2
gGraaday
Pf3
Lesson
will be disagreement among us. Some differences are questions of taste or
culture. But never should these legitimate differences be allowed to destroy
our loving relationship with Christ and one another. Christ's attitudes, life,
and conduct provide the pattern for our attitudes and actions.
II. UNITY IN DOCTRINE.
Would there be a Christian church if there were no unity in doctrinal
beliefs? If one person believes in the full deity of Christ and His eternal pre-
existence, while another person does not so believe, are they worshiping the
same Saviour? Christian church history has established that a church can
survive as long as its members are agreed on important doctrinal issues.
They may disagree on minor or peripheral matters, but on the basics of the
faith there must be unity.
SEARCH AND LEARN: What light do the following Bible passages
shed on the question of doctrinal unity?
1.
1 Cor. 1:10
2.
Gal. 1:6-8
3.
Eph. 4:14, 15
4.
Phil. 1:27
5.
1 Tim 1
.
3
6.
1 Peter 3
.
8
The divisions within the Corinthian church in the time of the apostle Paul
centered on more than matters of Christian practice. They involved variant
teachings—doctrinal differences. Paul urged the kind of unity that comes
only as each individual accepts the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
ILLUMINATION:
"But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain
the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of
all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the
creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as
are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one
nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of
religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand
a plain 'Thus saith the Lord' in its support.
"Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of
God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of
theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their
duty for themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders, he can
influence the multitudes according to his will.
"—The Great Controversy,
p. 595.
"If one man takes his views of Bible truth without regard to the opinions
92
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SRI LANKA UNION
OF CHURCHES
Sri anka
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1.
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2.
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3.
Construction of a literature ministry seminary, Davao, South Philippines
Sabbath
Church
School
Unions
Population
Churches Members Members
Bangladesh
97.072.000
46
5.010
7 205
Burma
35.306.189
122
10.786
12,447
Central Philippine
14.745.840
478
90.405
122,342
East Indonesia
15.106,583
397
49.766
65.592
Japan
. 120.720,542
102
11.697
2,878
Korean
42,191137
424
73.548
10,088
North Philippine
43.422.838
938
118.594
65,070
South Chi. Island
25.141,913
53
9,069
95,060
South Philippine
14.814.001
634
158.879
7.818
Southeast Asia
125,604.046
216
36.258
183.199
Sr. Lanka
14,859,295
23
1,615
30.105
West Indonesia
148.325.438
413
52.530
1.285
Gua.M.hronesia
220.000
11
1.944
65553
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Taipei
Taiwan
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BANGLADESH
UNION MISSION
Rangoon
BAY OF BENGALI"
SOUTH CHINA ISLAND
UNION MISSION
NORTH PHILIPPINE
UNION MISSION
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ENTRAL PHILIPPINE
UNION MISSION
SOUTH PHILIPPINE
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
UNION MISSION
MALAYSIA Sabah
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